A Multifunctional Electrocatalyst for Formate Production with Concurrent Hydrogen Evolution and Electrochemical...

Electrochemical valorization of biomass-derived glucose offers a promising route for the sustainable coproduction of valuable chemicals and green hydrogen, yet hinges on the development of cost-effective, multifunctional catalysts. Here, we report a noble metal-free core-shell catalyst, Cu@CoFe2O4, that drives both anodic glucose oxidation and cathodic hydrogen evolution or glucose hydrogenation in a single system. In alkaline media (1 M KOH), the catalyst achieves a glucose conversion of 97.5% with a Faradaic efficiency (FE) of 91.2% toward formate at 1.3 V vs RHE, while enabling hydrogen evolution with 100% FE. In a neutral electrolyte (0.1 M Na2SO4), the same electrode facilitates the selective electrochemical reduction of glucose to sorbitol with an FE of 87.5% and 76% conversion at -0.4 V vs RHE. Experimental and computational analyses suggest that the Cu-rich core/CoFe2O4-rich shell-like heterostructure enhances charge transfer and provides complementary active sites, contributing to the observed activity toward both glucose oxidation and hydrogenation pathways. This work highlights a versatile, earth-abundant electrocatalytic platform for biomass conversion and sustainable hydrogen generation.