Enhanced Reaction Kinetics of Highly Selective Oxidation of 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural to 2,5-Furandicarboxylic Acid over NiCo₂S₄

Selective valorization of biomass feedstocks and their derivatives, using renewable electricity to produce value-added chemicals, is a promising route to decarbonize the chemical industry. Herein, we demonstrate the selective production of 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) from the electrocatalytic oxidation of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF). NiCo2S4 as an anode electrode exhibits almost 100% yield of FDCA with >90% Faradaic efficiency (FE) and high stability at optimized conditions, which outperforms pure NiSx and CoSx. Theoretical calculations reveal that the enhanced reaction kinetics for HMF conversion to FDCA on NiCo2S4 arises from an optimal OH coverage and a more exergonic rate-limiting step compared with its monometallic counterparts. A techno-economic analysis (TEA) for a 100-ton/day FDCA industrial scale production facility reveals that the NiCo2S4 catalyst could drive economic feasibility of the process. This work provides an economically feasible approach to sustainably produce FDCA from HMF oxidation by electrocatalysis.