Electrocatalytic systems for the synthesis of value-added products

Abstract

To address the challenges posed by climate change and global warming, there is a pressing need to utilise renewable materials that can be obtained in a safe and environmentally friendly manner. The utilisation of biomass as a source of chemicals represents a revolutionary methodology with the potential to overcome humanity's reliance on fossil resources. Electrochemical technologies are advantageous in synthesising value-added products from biomass at atmospheric temperature and pressure, utilising water as a solvent and concurrently as a source of oxygen and hydrogen atoms and regulating chemical reactions through the application of electrical potential. In this study, inexpensive materials such as Cu and graphite, with slight modifications of catalytic metals such as Pd, Ag, Ni, were used for the electrochemical production of compounds that are used to produce polymeric materials, biofuels, pharmaceutical industry, etc.