Catalyst design for electrochemical selective oxidation of aldehydes to carboxylic acids

Abstract

In the global carbon neutrality context, green hydrogen, a key carrier of clean energy, requires urgent breakthroughs in production technology. In water electrolysis, the high energy consumption and low efficiency of the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) at the anode severely limit overall energy conversion efficiency. The electrocatalytic selective oxidation of aldehydes shows potential to replace the OER due to its low thermodynamic potential and fast kinetics, and it can transform aldehydes into high-value carboxylic acids through precise catalyst control. This paper reviews catalyst design strategies for this process, focusing on reaction mechanisms, design principles, and structure–performance relationships. By analyzing the activation of CO bonds and C–H bond cleavage kinetics, core design principles based on electronic structure regulation and synergistic effects are proposed, and a catalyst performance model is established using in situ characterization and theoretical calculations. This provides theoretical guidance for designing efficient catalysts and prospects for future research directions, such as non-precious metal catalyst development and complex reaction network regulation, offering new ideas for the industrial application of “green hydrogen–high-value chemicals” co-production technology.