Pulse potential mediated selectivity for the electrocatalytic oxidation of glycerol to glyceric acid

• Published in: Nature communications Vol. 15; no. 1; pp. 2420 - 11
• Main Authors: Chen, Wei, Zhang, Liang, Xu, Leitao, He, Yuanqing, Pang, Huan, Wang, Shuangyin, Zou, Yuqin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 18.03.2024; Nature Publishing Group; Nature Portfolio
• Subjects: 119/118; 147/135; 147/143; 639/301/299/886; 639/638/161/886; 639/638/77/886; Acids; Adsorption; Catalysts; Deactivation; Electrocatalysts; Electrolysis; Fourier transforms; Glycerol; Humanities and Social Sciences; Infrared spectroscopy; multidisciplinary; Noble metals; Oxidation; Photoelectron spectroscopy; Photoelectrons; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Selectivity; Spectrum analysis; X ray photoelectron spectroscopy
• ISSN: 2041-1723; 2041-1723
• DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-46752-4

Preventing the deactivation of noble metal-based catalysts due to self-oxidation and poisonous adsorption is a significant challenge in organic electro-oxidation. In this study, we employ a pulsed potential electrolysis strategy for the selective electrocatalytic oxidation of glycerol to glyceric acid over a Pt-based catalyst. In situ Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, quasi-in situ X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and finite element simulations reveal that the pulsed potential could tailor the catalyst’s oxidation and surface micro-environment. This prevents the overaccumulation of poisoning intermediate species and frees up active sites for the re-adsorption of OH adsorbate and glycerol. The pulsed potential electrolysis strategy results in a higher glyceric acid selectivity (81.8%) than constant-potential electrocatalysis with 0.7 V RHE (37.8%). This work offers an efficient strategy to mitigate the deactivation of noble metal-based electrocatalysts. Mitigating the deactivation of noble metal-based catalysts caused by self-oxidation and toxic adsorption poses a considerable challenge in organic electro-oxidation. This study addresses the issue by employing a pulsed potential electrolysis approach to selectively electrocatalyze the oxidation of glycerol to glyceric acid using a Pt-based catalyst.