Enhanced Reaction Kinetics of Highly Selective Oxidation of 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural to 2,5-Furandicarboxylic Acid over NiCo2S4

Selective valorization of biomass feedstocks and their derivatives, using renewable electricity to produce value-added chemicals, is a promising route to decarbonize the chemical industry. Herein, we demonstrate the selective production of 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) from the electrocatalytic oxidation of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF). NiCo 2 S 4 as an anode electrode exhibits almost 100% yield of FDCA with >90% Faradaic efficiency (FE) and high stability at optimized conditions, which outperforms pure NiS x and CoS x . Theoretical calculations reveal that the enhanced reaction kinetics for HMF conversion to FDCA on NiCo 2 S 4 arises from an optimal OH coverage and a more exergonic rate-limiting step compared with its monometallic counterparts. A techno-economic analysis (TEA) for a 100-ton/day FDCA industrial scale production facility reveals that the NiCo 2 S 4 catalyst could drive economic feasibility of the process. This work provides an economically feasible approach to sustainably produce FDCA from HMF oxidation by electrocatalysis.