Ruthenium oxide/cobalt oxide heterojunction electrocatalyst for biomass-derivative oxidation and hydrogen evolution

The electro-oxidation of biomass-derivatives offers a sustainable alternative to limited fossil resources by producing valuable carbon-based chemicals. Integrating biomass electro-oxidation with decoupled hydrogen generation from water splitting not only produces valued-added chemicals but also reduces the energy consumption of hydrogen production. However, the development of efficient bifunctional electrocatalysts capable of facilitating both anodic and cathodic reactions remains a challenging task. Herein, we report that coupling cobalt oxide with ruthenium oxide significantly enhances the activities of both anodic and cathodic reactions. As a bifunctional electrocatalyst, the ruthenium oxide/cobalt oxide heterojunction drives simultaneous production of 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid and hydrogen at a low cell voltage of 1.445 V and a current density of 50 mA cm⁻², showing great promise for electrochemical biomass upgrading.