Progress of fundamental mechanism of formic acid decomposition and electrooxidation

Formic acid (HCOOH) is considered as a promising viable fuel-cell ingredient for low temperature proton-exchange membrane fuel cells as a consequence of their high safety and energy density. As one prototype reaction, the study of HCOOH decomposition and electrooxidation is also helpful to understand the reaction mechanism of other small molecular organics. Herein, we present a comprehensive overview of HCOOH decomposition and electrooxidation in different environment conditions and analyze the reaction mechanism from both experimental and theoretical point of view. Furthermore, we discuss the known strategies for improving the performance of HCOOH decomposition and electrooxidation catalysts. Finally, this review presents a prospect for the future study of HCOOH decomposition and electrooxidation.