Recent developments in electrocatalytic oxidation of glycerol for value-added products synthesis

Abstract Glycerol, one of the important bio-platform molecules, is produced in large quantities as a byproduct in the biodiesel industry. It is imperative to convert glycerol into more value-added products (such as dihydroxyacetone, glyceraldehyde, glyceric acid, tartronic acid (TA), mesoxalic acid, glycolic acid, and formic acid) through various methods. Currently, the glycerol electrocatalytic oxidation reaction (GEOR) is one of the most promising routes owing to the mild operating conditions, efficient conversion, and high energy utilizations via coupling the cathodic reaction. In this review, we systematically introduce the recent advances in GEOR for the application of various products synthesis, focusing on the influence of reaction conditions, types of catalysts, and involved oxidation pathway and mechanisms. Furthermore, novelty coupled systems of GEOR and other cathodic reactions are summarized. Lastly, the subsistent challenges and perspectives are highlighted for GEOR.