Efficient Electrocatalytic Hydrogenation of Furfural through Synergistic Catalysis at Mo–O–Cu Atomic Interface

Electrocatalytic hydrogenation offers a sustainable route to upgrade biomass, as exemplified by the conversion of furfural to high-value alcohols. Current catalysts remain inadequate due to the poor modulation of active hydrogen, which leads to side reactions at high current densities. Here, we report that an atomic Mo–O–Cu interface promotes active hydrogen generation and modulates hydrogen adsorption, enabling a unique synergistic hydrogenation mechanism at the interface. By optimization of interface density, an optimal balance is achieved between hydrogen generation and utilization. A low-density Mo1O4/Cu catalyst exhibited outstanding performance in an anion exchange membrane (AEM) flow electrolyzer, delivering a 97% Faradaic efficiency and 54.4 mol m–2 h–1 production rate of furfuryl alcohol. The process demonstrated scalability in a 25 cm2 flow electrolyzer, successfully producing 8.34 g of furfuryl alcohol in 5 h. Our work provides insights into synergistic catalysis at the atomic interface, advancing the development of green, sustainable electrocatalytic biomass hydrogenation technologies.