Electrocatalytic oxidation of 5‐hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) to 2,5‐furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) offers a sustainable route to bio‐based polymer monomers, yet its efficiency is constrained by sluggish adsorption and proton‐coupled electron transfer (PCET) kinetics. Herein, we report a composite catalyst comprising amorphous RhO x anchored on cobalt‐deficient Co 3 O 4 (RhO x ‐Vco) that synergistically optimizes both thermodynamics and kinetics. Combined experiments and theoretical calculations unveil that RhO x and Co defects collaboratively upshift the d‐band center of Co and create Rh/Co dual sites, cooperatively enhancing HMF and OH − adsorption. Concurrently, this strengthened OH − adsorption guides preferential parallel alignment of interfacial water molecules, fostering a highly connected hydrogen‐bond network that accelerates PCET kinetics. Benefiting from this multi‐level synergy, RhO x ‐Vco achieves a seven‐fold higher current density at 1.40 V than pristine Co 3 O 4 , along with a high FDCA yield of 95.8% in three‐electrode system. Remarkably, when integrated into a membrane electrode assembly flow electrolyzer, the system maintains excellent performance with 93.4% FDCA yield, 85.6% Faradaic efficiency, and robust cycling stability, demonstrating its practical viability. This work establishes a design paradigm integrating defect and interface engineering to coordinately regulate multi‐step reaction processes, offering broad insights for advancing biomass and PCET‐related electrocatalysis.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Zhang et al. (2026) studied this question.
Synapse has enriched 5 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context: