Vanadium‐Doped Cobalt‐Based Metal–Organic Framework for Enhanced FDCA Electrosynthesis: Effect of Doping

Electrovalorization is an electrochemical process with immense potential for producing chemicals and fuels sustainably from biomass. Electrosynthesis can be used to convert biomass into platform chemicals and biofuels, providing a renewable resource for a range of industry. However, certain challenges must be tackled in order to fully unlock the potential of electrovalorization. Efficiency, selectivity, and stability in biomass conversion greatly benefit from catalyst development. This work primarily focuses on the synthesis of cobalt‐based metal–organic framework (Co‐MOF) and vanadium‐doped Co‐MOF nanostructures using the hydrothermal method and applied for conversion of 5‐hydroxymethyl furfural (HMF) to furan‐2,5‐dicarboxylic acid (FDCA). The yield of vanadium‐doped Co‐MOF nanostructures was significantly higher (90.6%) compared to pristine Co‐MOF (68.7%) when tested for electrosynthesis of FDCA. The FDCA formation rate increased to 33.22 µmol h −1 cm −2 with longer reaction times in the V‐doped Co‐MOF. The enhanced performance is attributed to the addition of vanadium, which improves dopant energy levels, leading to lattice disorder, mesoporous structure, and larger surface area in the vanadium‐doped Co‐MOF. These factors enhance the accessibility of additional active sites and increase electroactivity. Furthermore, the vanadium ion centers in Co‐MOF play a crucial role in enhancing electroactivity and stability as potential catalytic active sites.