Efficient electrocatalytic oxidation of glycerol toward formic acid over well-defined nickel nanoclusters capped by ligands

Efficient electrocatalytic oxidation of glycerol toward formic acid over well-defined nickel nanoclusters capped by ligands Full article

Journal

Chinese Journal of Catalysis
ISSN: 0253-9837 , E-ISSN: 1872-2067

Output data

Year: 2025, Volume: 76, Pages: 185-197 Pages count : 13 DOI: 10.1016/s1872-2067(25)64779-6

Authors

Yang Dan ¹ , Cui Xiang ¹ , Xu Zhou ¹ , Yan Qian ¹ , Wu Yating ¹ , Zhou Chunmei ¹ , Dai Yihu ¹ , Wan Xiaoyue ¹ , Jin Yuguang ² , Kustov Leonid M. ^3,4 , Yang Yanhui ¹

Affiliations

1	Institute of Advanced Synthesis, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing 211816, Jiangsu, China
2	Ordos Laboratory, Ordos 017010, Inner Mongolia, China
3	Chemistry Department, Moscow State University, 1 Leninskie Gory, bldg. 3, Moscow 119992, Russia
4	N. D. Zelinsky Institute of Organic Chemistry RAS, 47 Leninsky prosp., Moscow 119991, Russia

The electrocatalytic oxidation of glycerol toward formic acid is one of the most promising pathways for transformation and utilization of glycerol. Herein, a series of well-defined Nin(SR)2n nanoclusters (n = 4, 5, 6; denoted as Ni NCs) were prepared for the electrocatalytic glycerol oxidation toward formic acid, in which Ni6-PET-50CV afforded the most excellent electrocatalytic performance with a high formic acid selectivity of 93% and a high glycerol conversion of 86%. This was attributed to the lowest charge transfer impedance and the most rapid reaction kinetics. Combined electrochemical measurements and X-ray absorption fine structure measurements revealed that the structures of Ni NCs remained intact after CV scanning pretreatment and electrocatalysis via forming the Ni–O bond. Additionally, the kinetic studies and in-situ Fourier transformed infrared suggested a sequential oxidation mechanism, in which the main reaction steps of glycerol → glyceraldehyde → glyceric acid were very rapid to produce a high selectivity of formic acid even though the low glycerol conversion. This work presents an opportunity to study Ni NCs for the efficient electrocatalytic oxidation of biomass-derived polyhydroxyl platform molecules to produce value-added carboxylic acids.

Yang D. , Cui X. , Xu Z. , Yan Q. , Wu Y. , Zhou C. , Dai Y. , Wan X. , Jin Y. , Kustov L.M. , Yang Y.
Efficient electrocatalytic oxidation of glycerol toward formic acid over well-defined nickel nanoclusters capped by ligands
Chinese Journal of Catalysis. 2025. V.76. P.185-197. DOI: 10.1016/s1872-2067(25)64779-6 WOS Scopus OpenAlex

Submitted:	Apr 9, 2025
Published online:	Aug 25, 2025

Web of science:	WOS:001610647900002
Scopus:	2-s2.0-105013849659
OpenAlex:	W4413513324

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