Insights into electrocatalytic hydrogenation of furfural on nanoparticulate Pd/C under acidic conditions

Maselj, Nik (author), Jovanovski, Vasko (author), Trputec, Jan (author), Šala, Martin (author), Mervič, Kristina (author), Hodnik, Nejc (author), Jovanovič, Primož (author)

In this work, we present an insight into the mechanism of electrochemical hydrogenation of furfural on carbon supported palladium nanoparticles. By directly coupling electrochemistry with mass spectrometry, we were able to, for the first time, deconvolute the hydrogen evolution reaction and electrochemical hydrogenation by measuring the mass signal for hydrogen and 2-methylfuran. This approach also allowed us to extract the Tafel slopes for each reaction and get insights into mechanisms. The results indicate that the hydrogenation occurs by a Langmuir–Hinshelwood type process rather than by proton-coupled electron transfer. Further findings recognize the blocking character of furfuryl alcohol (FA) where the latter or one of its intermediates blocks the electrochemical hydrogenation. Additionally, FA is shown to be a precursor for 2-methyl furan formation. Accordingly, specific guidelines towards improvement of reaction performance are suggested.

• Language: English
• Keywords: electrocatalysis, electrochemical hydrogenation, electrochemistry–mass spectrometry, furfural
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: FKKT - Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2025
• Number of pages: 9 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 17, iss. 3, art. e202401474
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-167087
• UDC: 544.5/.6
• ISSN on article: 1867-3899
• DOI: 10.1002/cctc.202401474
• COBISS.SI-ID: 216646147
• Publication date in RUL: 07.02.2025

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: ChemCatChem
• Shortened title: ChemCatChem
• Publisher: Wiley, Chemistry Europe
• ISSN: 1867-3899
• COBISS.SI-ID: 519144985

Licences

• License: CC BY-NC 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
• Description: A creative commons license that bans commercial use, but the users don’t have to license their derivative works on the same terms.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: elektrokemija, paladij, ogljik, vodik, hidrogeniranje