Ag-CuOx Bifunctional Catalyst for Paired 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural Electrooxidation and Electrohydrogenation

Electrocatalytic biomass conversion provides a sustainable route to value-added chemicals while reducing the dependence on fossil-based feedstocks. Herein, a bifunctional Ag-modified CuOx (Ag-CuOx) electrocatalyst has been developed for simultaneous anodic oxidation and cathodic hydrogenation of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) in a single membrane-based electrolyzer. Ag modification enhances aldehyde adsorption at the anode, enabling the selective oxidation of HMF to 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furan carboxylic acid (HMFCA) and further conversion to 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) at higher potentials. At the cathode, Ag facilitates hydrogenation by providing adsorbed hydrogen, improving selectivity toward 2,5-dihydroxymethylfuran (DHMF). The system achieves high Faradaic efficiencies (>93% for oxidation and >84% for hydrogenation) with excellent product selectivity. This work demonstrates a promising strategy for integrating biomass oxidation and hydrogenation in a single electrochemical system, offering an energy-efficient and sustainable approach to biomass valorization.