Synthesis of molybdenum-cobalt nanoparticles decorated on date seed-derived activated carbon for the simultaneous electrochemical hydrogenation and oxidation of furfural into fuels

Recently, scalable electrochemical processes have been developed to convert furfural into fuels. The conversion of furfural requires electrode materials that are cost-effective and highly stable. Herein, molybdenum‑cobalt nanoparticles on nitrogen doped date seed-derived activated carbon (N-MoCo/C) have been used as a bifunctional electrocatalyst, enabling simultaneous electrochemical hydrogenation (ECH) and oxidation (ECO) of furfural to fuels and value-added chemicals. An N-MoCo/C catalyst with varying Mo/Co ratios on nitrogen-doped date-seed-derived activated carbon was prepared, and its structural characterization was carried out by X-ray diffraction. Cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy were carried out to determine the electrochemically active surface area, the electrode resistivity, and the electrocatalytic activity of furfural through ECO and ECH. In particular, N-MoCo/C catalysts with different Mo:Co ratios were used to tune the ECH and ECO of furfural and the yields and selectivity of the resulting products. A Mo:Co ratio of 3:1 in N-MoCo/C led to the most efficient conversion of furfural to furoic acid through ECO and furfural alcohol through ECH. Response Surface Methodology (RSM) and a central composite design (CCD) was used to study the electrochemical transformation of furfural. This study opens up possibilities for the simultaneous ECH and ECO of furfural to value-added chemicals under optimized conditions.