ItemArticle

Formaldehyde electrolysis in a membrane-free electrolyzer: low-energy hydrogen and formate co-production with Cu-based boride electrocatalysts

Title
Formaldehyde electrolysis in a membrane-free electrolyzer: low-energy hydrogen and formate co-production with Cu-based boride electrocatalysts
Creator
Thorawade, Sahil; Patel, Rupali; Bhide, Aniruddha; Gupta, Suraj; Fernandes, Rohan; Patel, Nainesh
Description
The formaldehyde oxidation reaction (FOR) offers a low-energy alternative to the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) for electrochemical hydrogen production, enabling simultaneous generation of value-added formate. Here, we report a boron-doped copper catalyst on copper foam (B/CuxO/CF) that efficiently catalyzes FOR with an ultralow onset potential of 0.06 V at 100 mA cm?2. Compared to its phosphorus- and sulfur-doped counterparts (P/CuxO/CF and S/CuxO/CF), B/CuxO/CF exhibits markedly superior activity with ?97% formate yield. Surface analysis confirms the critical role of coexisting Cu+/Cu2+ species in B/CuxO in facilitating the key FOR steps of adsorption and CH cleavage, while the presence of boron improves charge transfer and active site availability. The limited HER activity of B/CuxO/CF was effectively addressed by coupling it with a Ni-based phospho-boride catalyst on Ni foam (NiPB/NF) that delivers selective and high hydrogen evolution performance, even in formaldehyde-containing media. The asymmetric NiPB/NF?B/CuxO/CF configuration achieved 100 mA cm?2 at only 0.25 V and sustained long-term stability with continuous HCHO replenishment, maintaining 300 mA cm?2 for over 8 hours. Operated in a membrane-free flow cell, the system maintained ?90% formate yield with a H2 production faradaic efficiency of ?190%, nearly doubling the hydrogen output. This hybrid strategy not only lowers energy input by 1.64 V compared to water electrolysis but also demonstrates viability for decentralized hydrogen and chemical co-production with economic benefits. This journal is The Royal Society of Chemistry, 2026
Source
Journal of Materials Chemistry A;Volume;14;Issue;23;pp.14623-14636
Date
01-01-2026
Publisher
Royal Society of Chemistry
Coverage
Thorawade S., Department of Physics and Electronics, Christ University, Bengaluru, 560029, India; Patel R., Department of Physics and Electronics, Christ University, Bengaluru, 560029, India; Bhide A., Department of Physics and Electronics, Christ University, Bengaluru, 560029, India; Gupta S., Advanced Materials Department, Joef Stefan Institute, Jamova 39, Ljubljana, 1000, Slovenia; Fernandes R., Department of Physics and Electronics, Christ University, Bengaluru, 560029, India; Patel N., Department of Physics and Electronics, Christ University, Bengaluru, 560029, India
Rights
Restricted Access; Hardcopy may be available in the library
Relation
ISSN: 20507488; CODEN: JMCAE
Format
online
Language
English
Type
Article

Citation

Thorawade, Sahil; Patel, Rupali; Bhide, Aniruddha; Gupta, Suraj; Fernandes, Rohan; Patel, Nainesh, “Formaldehyde electrolysis in a membrane-free electrolyzer: low-energy hydrogen and formate co-production with Cu-based boride electrocatalysts,” CHRIST (Deemed To Be University) Institutional Repository, accessed June 19, 2026, https://archives.christuniversity.in/items/show/22597.

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