Transforming Electrocatalytic Biomass Upgrading and Hydrogen Production from Electricity Input to Electricity Output

Integrating biomass upgrading and hydrogen production in an electrocatalytic system is attractive both environmentally and in terms of sustainability. Conventional electrolyser systems coupling anodic biosubstrate electrooxidation with hydrogen evolution reaction usually require electricity input. Herein, we describe the development of an electrocatalytic system for simultaneous biomass upgrading, hydrogen production, and electricity generation. In contrast to conventional furfural electrooxidation, the employed low-potential furfural oxidation enabled the hydrogen atom of the aldehyde group to be released as gaseous hydrogen at the anode at a low potential of approximately 0 V