Interface engineering of a Ni9S8/MoS2/Ni3S2 heterostructure to boost biomass upgrading coupled with the hydrogen evolution reaction at large current densities

Abstract

The development of highly efficient electrocatalysts is a promising approach to convert low-value biomass into high-value platform chemicals at the anode and hydrogen production at the cathode utilizing water as a green source of hydrogenation and oxidization. Herein, via interface engineering, we design and construct a Ni₃S₂/MoS₂/Ni₉S₈ ternary heterostructure, which shows nearly 100% conversion, 99.8% 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) yield and 99.5% Faraday efficiency (FE) for 5-hydroxymethylfurfural electrooxidation (HMFOR). Moreover, after 7 test cycles, it still shows excellent electrocatalytic performance with more than 95% FDCA yield and FE. Meanwhile, hydrogen production can reach 78.0 mL cm⁻² h⁻¹ at 1.52 V vs. RHE. The abundant interface in this ternary heterostructure should regulate the electronic structure of Mo and Ni and, correspondingly, modulate the intermediate adsorption, leading to its high HMFOR performance. This study may offer a straightforward technique for developing effective and reliable electrocatalysts for upgrading biomass and increasing environmentally friendly hydrogen production with minimal energy consumption.