Efficient electrocatalytic oxidation of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural to 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid using an amorphous bimetallic Ni–Co hydroxide with filamentous structure in alkaline media

The conversion of biomass into value-added chemicals is crucial for addressing resource shortages and mitigating environmental degradation. 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), a promising biomass-derived platform compound, can be selectively oxidized to produce high-value 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA). In this study, an amorphous bimetallic hydroxide, Ni 1 Co 2 -LDH, was synthesized for the effective electrocatalytic oxidation of HMF. Electrochemical experimental results indicate that Ni–Co dual sites synergistically participate in the oxidation of HMF. Co sites promote the transformation of the aldehyde (CH O) group to the carboxyl group, while Ni sites speed up the reaction rate of 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) generation. The construction of such a bimetallic site enables the Ni 1 Co 2 -LDH catalyst to exhibit a low onset potential (1.20 V vs. RHE) and high selectivity (100 %) in HMFOR. At 1.30 V (vs. RHE), the catalyst achieves a Faradaic efficiency of 90.5 % and an FDCA yield of up to 95.6 %. Furthermore, Ni 1 Co 2 -LDH exhibits exceptional structural and catalytic stability, maintaining an FDCA yield above 95.0 % after five consecutive electrochemical cycles. These findings highlight the potential of Ni 1 Co 2 -LDH, synthesized via a hydrothermal method, as an efficient anode catalyst for the sustainable production of high-value chemicals from biomass-derived compounds.