Coupling electrochemical H2O2 production and the in situ selective oxidation of organics over a bifunctional TS-1@Co–N–C catalyst

Abstract

A core–shell TS-1@Co–N–C was prepared by thermally pyrolyzing polydopamine and cobalt acetate outside TS-1 crystals. The Co–N–C shell catalyzes the electrochemical oxygen reduction to hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), while the TS-1 core catalyzes the oxidation of organic reagents. It achieved a H₂O₂ selectivity higher than 95% without organics, and accomplished an excellent bisphenol selectivity of 99.45% when coupled with phenol oxidation. Moreover, paired oxidation of furfural at both cathodic and anodic sides further led to an overall Faradaic efficiency of 141.09%. This bifunctional catalyst helps to integrate the in situ generation and usage of H₂O₂ into a single electrode, thus reduces the equipment and operating costs.