Ternary CuCoMo Amorphous Alloy Enabling Selective Glycerol Electrooxidation Coupling with Hydrogen Evolution

Electrochemical valorization of glycerol from industrial biodiesel production offers an alternative route for the supply of high-value chemicals and clean fuel. Even more desirable is that glycerol electrooxidation can be integrated with H2 production for energy-efficient electrolysis. Herein, we present an electrodeposited ternary CuCoMo amorphous alloy as a highly efficient anode catalyst. Systematic electrochemical studies confirm that the CuCoMo alloy allows an attractive performance for glycerol electrooxidation with a low overpotential (100 mA cm–2 at 1.31 V vs. RHE), along with a satisfactory Faraday efficiency of 98.17% and yield of 92.27% toward formate products. The electrochemically generated Cu2+ and Co3+ oxide species of the alloy are responsible for oxidizing glycerol, wherein Mo atoms are induced to regulate the d-band center, thereby synergistically favoring the C–C bond cleavage for formate production. Notably, the Faraday efficiency in the flow cell of the integrated system remains about 90% during the continuous upgrading of glycerol to formate and H2, significantly reducing the electricity consumption. This work not only highlights the potential of ternary alloy catalysts for selective glycerol electrooxidation but also presents a convenient avenue for low-cost and sustainable energy conversion.