Heterostructured Ni-Co electrocatalyst with enhanced interfacial charge transfer for efficient biomass upgrading

Electrocatalytic oxidation of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) to 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) offers a sustainable pathway for biomass valorization and green H 2 generation, yet its multi-electron transfer process demands efficient catalysts to overcome kinetic bottlenecks. Herein, we demonstrate that the spatial configuration of Co species in Ni hydroxides (Ni(OH) 2 ) dictates alcohol oxidation activity by modulating interfacial electron transfer dynamics. Engineered heterostructured Co 3 O 4 -Ni(OH) 2 outperforms planar NiCo layered double hydroxide (LDH), achieving 106 % higher current density with nearly 100 % yields and Faradaic efficiencies of the target product. Experimental and theoretical results reveal that the heterointerface optimizes alcohol adsorption and accelerates electron transfer kinetics via interfacial charge distribution. Engineering of interfacial electronic properties enables the catalyst to be versatile for the electrooxidation of variant substituted alcohol substrates. Those insightful results establish a paradigm for catalyst design methodology in biomass upgrading through regulating charge transfer pathways.