Atomic-Interface Effect of Single-Atom Ru/CoO<sub><i>x</i></sub> for Selective Electrooxidation of 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural
Wenlei Gu, An Pei, Shiyi Zhang, Feifei Jiang, Yanyan Jia, Qizhen Qin, Ruian Du, Zheng Jian Li, Renfeng Liu, Yongcai Qiu, Keyou Yan, Yun Zhao, Cheng Liang, Guangxu Chen
Abstract
The development of single-atom catalysts with effective interfaces for biomass conversion is a promising but challenging research area. In this study, a Ru 1 /CoO x catalyst was successfully fabricated with the impregnation method, which featured Ru single atoms on a cobalt oxide substrate. The Ru 1 /CoO x catalyst showed superior performance in the selective electrooxidation of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) to produce 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA), a high value-added product. The introduction of Ru single atoms with an ultralow loading of ∼0.5 wt % was revealed to accelerate the electroredox of Co 2+ /Co 3+ /Co 4+ and improve the intrinsic activity of the CoO x substrate with an FDCA selectivity of 76.5%, which is better than that of the pristine CoO x electrocatalysts (62.7%). The interfacial synergistic effect of the Ru 1 /CoO x interface clarified that Ru single atoms can enhance the adsorption of HMF at the Ru 1 /CoO x interface, which promoted the rate-determining step of the selective C–H bond activation for FDCA production. This finding provides valuable insights into the rational design of single-atom catalysts with functional interfaces for biomass upgrading.