Efficient electrochemical oxidation of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural to 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid using the facilely synthesized 3D porous WO3/Ni electrode

2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) is a key precursor for the sustainable synthesis of environmentally friendly materials such as polyethylene 2,5-furandicarboxylate (PEF). Developing noble-metal free and robust electrocatalysts are of great importance for the eco-friendly upgrading of biomass-derived 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) to produce FDCA. Herein we demonstrated a facile one-step hydrothermal method to grow tungsten trioxide (WO3) nanorods on Ni foam, which was efficient for the electrochemical oxidation of HMF to FDCA. The 3D porous WO3/Ni electrode was controllably synthesized at low temperature with the aid of polyethylene glycol (PEG) template. Three types of electrodes were investigated and the catalytic results showed excellent electrochemical performance with the high electrochemically active surface area (ECSA) up to 40.0 cm2, 99.4 % HMF conversion rate, 88.3 % FDCA yield and 88.0 % Faradaic efficiency in 1.0 M KOH electrolyte under ambient conditions, avoiding the traditionally harsh environment (e.g. extra oxygen sources, high temperature and pressure). Besides, the product distribution, reaction kinetics and mechanisms were also investigated. This work provides an alternative and efficient way of electrocatalytic processing of biomass-derived monomers using noble-metal free catalysts under ambient conditions.