In situ grown oxygen-vacancy-rich copper oxide nanosheets on a copper foam electrode afford the selective oxidation of alcohols to value-added chemicals.

ABSTRACT: Selective oxidation of low-molecular-weight aliphatic alcohols like methanol and ethanol into carboxylates in acid/base hybrid electrolytic cells offers reduced process operating costs for the generation of fuels and value-added chemicals, which is environmentally and economically more desirable than their full oxidation to CO₂. Herein, we report the in-situ fabrication of oxygen-vacancies-rich CuO nanosheets on a copper foam (CF) via a simple ultrasonication-assisted acid-etching method. The CuO/CF monolith electrode enables efficient and selective electrooxidation of ethanol and methanol into value-added acetate and formate with ~100% selectivity. First principles calculations reveal that oxygen vacancies in CuO nanosheets efficiently regulate the surface chemistry and electro

SUBMITTER: Khan M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9814762 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature