Electrocatalytic Oxidation of HMF to FDCA over Multivalent Ruthenium in Neutral Electrolyte

Abstract

5-Hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) serves as an important bridge connecting biomass resources with fossil fuels. Its downstream product, 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA), is a renewable alternative to terephthalic acid (TPA) in the synthesis of various polymer materials. In this study, we successfully synthesized four ruthenium-based catalysts with varying valence states supported on carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and compared the performance of HMF electrooxidation. Among these, the Ru+2.9 catalyst demonstrated the highest activity for the electrochemical oxidation of HMF to FDCA in the neutral medium (0.1 M K2SO4). Notably, the FDCA yield reached 90.2% under an applied potential of 0.95 V (vs. Ag/AgCl) after 24 h. Mechanistic analysis revealed that the superior specific capacitance of the Ru+2.9 catalyst significantly facilitated the reaction process. This work represents a more cost-effective approach to avoid the need for excessive alkaline additives during catalyst preparation and the HMF oxidation process, and FDCA separated easily after cooling the reaction solution down.