Trace Ru Incorporation Boosted CoP Nanorods for Superior Water Electrolysis and Substrate-Paired Electrolysis Toward Value-Added Chemicals in Alkaline Medium.

Electro-valorization of biomass-derived chemicals has ensured sustainable production of value-added products, an effective approach for reducing carbon footprint, through renewable energy. Electrochemical oxidation and reduction reactions in aqueous media using HO as a potential source for active hydrogenated and oxygenated species fulfill the purpose. In this study, Ru─CoP nanorods are explored as a bifunctional electrocatalyst toward valorization of Organics at basic media. The in-situ electrogenerated Co and Co species act as active oxidants toward product selectivity. An overpotential of 68 mV is found for hydrogen evolution reaction (1 m NaOH) with Ru─CoP. Further, used as cathode, Ru─CoP effectively reduces furfuraldehyde to furfuryl alcohol and p-nitrophenol to p-aminophenol. Ru doping enables ease of formation of active species both for reduction and oxidation, faster charge transfer between catalyst to absorbates. Density Functional Theory calculation establishes Ru incorporation in CoP surface results in enhanced adsorption of substrates. Ru doping modulates the electronic structure of CoP which changes the density of states resulting in faster water dissociation and water splitting. To reach 10 mA cm current density only 1.6 V is required for water electrolysis, whereas 1.4 V is enough for substrate-paired electrolysis with simultaneous oxidation of benzyl alcohol and reduction of p-nitro phenol.