pH-neutral Electrolyte Research Articles

Stabilizing Pure Water-Fed Anion Exchange Membrane Water Electrolyzers through Membrane-Electrode Interface Engineering.

Nickel-iron (oxy)hydroxide (NiFeOxHy) stands as a cutting-edge nonprecious electrocatalyst for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). However, the intrinsic thermodynamic instability of nickel and iron as anode materials in pure water-fed electrolyzers poses a significant durability challenge. In this study, an anion exchange ionomer coating was applied to NiFeOxHy to modify the local pH between a membrane and an electrode. This effectively extended the diffusion length of hydroxide anions toward the electrode, establishing an alkaline local pH environment. Stability tests with the ionomer coating showed reduced Ni dissolution. Moreover, locally resolved current density measurements were used to demonstrate a notably lower degradation rate during stability testing, revealing a 6-fold increase in stability with the ionomer on NiFeOxHy. In situ Raman spectroscopy in a neutral pH electrolyte confirmed inhibited Ni oxidation with the ionomer, mitigating Ni dissolution and enhancing stability of state-of-the-art NiFeOxHy catalysts in pure water-fed water electrolyzers.

Solar Flow Battery for Grid Innovation: Exploring Novel Cell Designs and Osmotically Balanced Neutral pH Electrolytes

The demand for clean and efficient energy with low carbon emissions has been increased continuously. In 2022, 29.9% of global electricity production came from renewable energy sources, and the UK contributed a relatively high percentage of 41.5%. However, it appears to lag behind the Nordic countries, showing an impressive 81.2% of its electricity from renewable sources. The primary hurdle to expanding the share of renewable energy is intermittency. There is a crucial need for research and development in energy storage systems to enhance this aspect. Among various renewable energy storage technologies, redox flow battery (RFB) has recently come into the spotlight because of its scalability, long-term storage capability, and fast kinetics. However, the highly concentrated acidic condition and high voltage of the conventional RFB electrolytes make applying this technology for the integration of Photovoltaic cells difficult. Here, we report a, efficient solar-rechargeable redox flow battery (SRFB) with significantly enhanced safety and stability. Particularly, we introduce a competitive osmotically-balanced neutral pH aqueous Iodine/Bromine electrolyte combination, which has not been used for solar-to-electricity storage technologies. The present work holds great potential for safe and reliable charging/discharging operations to existing photovoltaic-assisted battery technologies. These results promote the utilization of existing solar cell facilities and are a cornerstone for the development of SFBs for practical and efficient energy storage devices.

Macro and micro-scale material removal mechanisms during ECM/hybrid laser-ECM of a passivating multiphase NbC–Ni cermet

Electrochemical machining (ECM) is a non-contact and athermal machining process where the material removal is accomplished through controlled anodic dissolution of the workpiece governed by Faraday laws. ECM process has been hybridized with several other processes for improving material processing windows. Hybrid laser electrochemical machining (LECM) synergistically applies electrochemical and laser process energies with added benefits of escalated reaction kinetics leading to enhanced transpassive dissolution, weakening of passivation layer, process localisation and uniform dissolution. The laser energy acts as a localised and controllable heat source thereby offering multi-fold processing benefits. For alloys and cermets, a characteristic surficial fingerprint is the presence of inhomogeneous multiphase dissolution and sporadically distributed passivation layer, necessitating addition of aggressive reagents in electrolytes. LECM has the potential to addresses these challenges while processing in pH neutral electrolytes. Previous works have very limited analysis on the macro and micro removal mechanisms while processing relevant strategic materials and multitude of applications of LECM remain unexploited. Therefore, this work presents in-depth investigations into macro and micro-scale material removal mechanisms of ECM/LECM on sintered niobium carbide with nickel binder (NbC–Ni), which is a potential cobalt-free alternative to tungsten carbide. The results revealed new insights into the removal behaviour of the constituent phases which differed from the first principles and their interaction with the laser. During ECM, the Ni phase dissolved preferentially and influenced the surface pattern and particle breakout which was reduced with laser assistance. The surface evolution characteristics were also analysed based on the ridge-crevice pattern. Additionally, the weakening of passive layer was correlated with the pulse analysis that revealed quantitatively the different process regimes occurring during ECM and LECM. The grain level study revealed that orientation effects still exist during LECM and the grains with higher surface energy (FCC (001) vicinal planes) passivated more and dissolved less. Furthermore, the improvement in surface quality, overcut and reduction in particle breakout with LECM process makes it promising for machining newer recipes of metal carbides.

Electrocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution of Immobilized Copper Complex on Carbonaceous Materials: From Neutral Water to Seawater.

Electrochemical hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) is an appealing strategy to utilize renewable electricity to produce green H2. Moreover, use of neutral-pH electrolyte such as water and seawater for the HER has long been desired for eco-friendly energy production that aligns with net zero emission goal. Herein, new heterogeneous catalysts were developed by dispersing an HER-active copper complex containing N4-Schiff base macrocycle (CuL) on carbonaceous materials, i. e. multi-walled carbon nanotube (CNT) and graphene oxide (GO), via non-covalent interaction and investigated their HER performance. It was found that CuL/GO exhibited higher HER activity than CuL/CNT, possibly due to its significantly larger amount of CuL immobilized onto GO. In addition, CuL/GO showed satisfactory HER performance in a neutral (pH 7) NaCl electrolyte solution. Notably, the performances of CuL/GO were boosted up when performed in natural seawater sample with the faradaic efficiency of 70 % and 3 times higher amount of H2 at -0.6 V vs reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE), in comparison to the HER in a NaCl electrolyte. Furthermore, it possessed a low overpotential of 139 mV at -10 mA/cm2. This demonstrated the potential use of CuL/GO as an effective HER catalyst in seawater for further sustainable development.

A fluffy sphere-like NiCoCu-carbonate hydroxide based electrocatalyst for the oxygen evolution reaction in pH neutral electrolyte solution

Highly efficient, serviceable, and cost-efficient electrode materials for electrochemical water oxidation to evolve O2 is an important factor in renewable chemical fuels, including water splitting and reusable metal−air battery. Herein,...

On the Degradation of Vanadium-Based Phosphate Framework Electrode Materials in Aqueous Environments

Na3V2(PO4)3 and Na3V2(PO4)2F3 are among the most studied and applied positive electrode materials in non-aqueous sodium-ion batteries due to their relatively high capacities and redox potentials. However, the stability of these materials in aqueous environments is relatively low limiting their applications in aqueous batteries or deionization cells. In this study, we provide a comprehensive analysis of Na3V2(PO4)3 and Na3V2(PO4)2F3 degradation in aqueous media using a number of techniques such as standard electrochemical methods, elemental analysis, powder X-ray diffractometry, and rotating ring-disc electrode. The latter allows for real time in situ/operando degradation analysis during electrochemical operation. The results show that Na3V2(PO4)3 suffers from chemical vanadium dissolution when immersed even in neutral pH electrolytes, whereas Na3V2(PO4)2F3 is significantly more stable. The results obtained by the rotating ring-disc electrode technique explicitly show that at pH ∼7 Na3V2(PO4)3 and Na3V2(PO4)2F3 generate most of the soluble V(V) species during the electrochemical charging process. Whereas in acidic pH, there is also additional electrochemically-induced generation of soluble V(IV) species during the discharging process. The overall results suggest that fluoride ions significantly increase the structural stability of phosphate materials in aqueous environments. Potentially, a careful electrolyte design with controlled proton and water activity could enable the use of Na3V2(PO4)2F3 in aqueous electrochemical devices.

Charge Transport Enhancement in BiVO4 Photoanode for Efficient Solar Water Oxidation.

Photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting in a pH-neutral electrolyte has attracted more and more attention in the field of sustainable energy. Bismuth vanadate (BiVO4) is a highly promising photoanode material for PEC water splitting. Additionally, cobaltous phosphate (CoPi) is a material that can be synthesized from Earth's rich materials and operates stably in pH-neutral conditions. Herein, we propose a strategy to enhance the charge transport ability and improve PEC performance by electrodepositing the in situ synthesis of a CoPi layer on the BiVO4. With the CoPi co-catalyst, the water oxidation reaction can be accelerated and charge recombination centers are effectively passivated on BiVO4. The BiVO4/CoPi photoanode shows a significantly enhanced photocurrent density (Jph) and applied bias photon-to-current efficiency (ABPE), which are 1.8 and 3.2 times higher than those of a single BiVO4 layer, respectively. Finally, the FTO/BiVO4/CoPi photoanode displays a photocurrent density of 1.39 mA cm-2 at 1.23 VRHE, an onset potential (Von) of 0.30 VRHE, and an ABPE of 0.45%, paving a potential path for future hydrogen evolution by solar-driven water splitting.

Mesoporous LaFeO3 perovskite as an efficient and cost-effective oxygen reduction reaction catalyst in an air cathode microbial fuel cell

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) produce renewable energy from organic matter in presence of electrochemically active anaerobes at the anode and cathode oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). The ORR catalyst is pivotal for power generation and the overall cost of constructing an MFC. This study uses a synthesized novel LaFeO3 perovskite electrocatalyst as an alternative to the conventional Pt/C cathode catalyst which enhances ORR activity in a pH-neutral electrolyte. LaFeO3-based air cathode MFC produced 726.43 mWm−2 of maximum power density and is comparable to the commercial Pt/C catalyst i.e., 775 mWm−2. Furthermore, it has achieved 2.3 mAm−2 of the maximum current density and 556 mV of voltage. The improved catalytic activity of the synthesized LaFeO3 is associated with a large number of active sites, oxygen vacancies, and its mesoporous nature. Therefore, LaFeO3perovskite was able to catalyze ORR with an electron transfer of 3.8 in a neutral medium which is close to superior indirect four-electron pathways. It is highlighted that LaFeO3 perovskite iscost-effectiveand has comparable electrochemical properties with Pt/C which is evident in its scale-up potential of MFCs for green energy synthesis.

Dynamic semiconductor-electrolyte interface for sustainable solar water splitting over 600 hours under neutral conditions.

Photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting that functions in pH-neutral electrolyte attracts increasing attention to energy demand sustainability. Here, we propose a strategy to in situ form a NiB layer by tuning the composition of the neutral electrolyte with the additions of nickel and borate species, which improves the PEC performance of the BiVO4 photoanode. The NiB/BiVO4 exhibits a photocurrent density of 6.0 mA cm-2 at 1.23 VRHE with an onset potential of 0.2 VRHE under 1 sun illumination. The photoanode displays a photostability of over 600hours in a neutral electrolyte. The additive of Ni2+ in the electrolyte, which efficiently inhibits the dissolution of NiB, can accelerate the photogenerated charge transfer and enhance the water oxidation kinetics. The borate species with B─O bonds act as a promoter of catalyst activity by accelerating proton-coupled electron transfer. The synergy effect of both species suppresses the surface charge recombination and inhibits the photocorrosion of BiVO4.

A practical FeP nanoarrays electrocatalyst for efficient catalytic reduction of nitrite ions in wastewater to ammonia

Ammonia production is an energy-intensive process while nitrite ions are a substantial environmental pollutant, therefore the conversion of nitrite ions (NO2-) into ammonia (NH3) via an electrochemical process is of great significance. Using a hydrothermal method plus a low temperature phosphating process, iron phosphide nanoarrays (FeP NA) were prepared on a Ti plate to form FeP NA|Ti, which was then used to efficiently convert NO2- ions into NH3. In a single-chamber cell using a neutral pH electrolyte, the Faradaic efficiency for nitrite to ammonia conversion reached 82.5 ± 2.3 %. Various parameters were optimized to ensure the high performance of FeP NA|Ti which were explained with mechanistic studies. It was found that atomic hydrogen (H*) greatly impacts both the reaction rate and selectivity. Furthermore, density functional theory (DFT) calculations reveal that the (211) and (011) facets of FeP are the main active faces for nitrite reduction where the nitrite ions tend to bind with two adjacent Fe atoms of FeP to ensure maximum performance.

A new operando surface restructuring pathway via ion-pairing of catalyst and electrolyte for water oxidation

The highly efficient and stable electrolysis needs the rational control of the catalytically active interface during the reactions. Here we report a new operando surface restructuring pathway activated by pairing catalyst and electrolyte ions. Using SrCoO3-δ-based perovskites as model catalysts, we unveil the critical role of matching the catalyst properties with the electrolyte conditions in modulating catalyst ion leaching and steering surface restructuring processes toward efficient oxygen evolution reaction catalysis in both pH-neutral and alkaline electrolytes. Our results regarding multiple perovskites show that the catalyst ion leaching is controlled by catalyst ion solubility and anions of the electrolyte. Only when the electrolyte cations are smaller than catalyst's leaching cations, the formation of an outer amorphous shell can be triggered via backfilling electrolyte cations into the cationic vacancy at the catalyst surface under electrochemical polarization. Consequently, the current density of reconstructed SrCoO3-δ is increased by 21 folds compared to the pristine SrCoO3-δ at 1.75 V vs reversible hydrogen electrode and outperforms the benchmark IrO2 by 2.1 folds and most state-of-the-art electrocatalysts in the pH-neutral electrolyte. Our work could be a starting point to rationally control the electrocatalyst surface restructuring via matching the compositional chemistry of the catalyst with the electrolyte properties.

High-Energy-Density Chelated Chromium Flow Battery Electrolyte at Neutral pH.

High-concentration operation of redox flow batteries (RFBs) is essential for increasing their energy-storage capacity, but non-acidic electrolytes struggle to achieve the high concentrations of metal ions dissolved in acid, limiting the development of energy-dense neutral pH electrolytes. We report neutral pH RFB operation of chromium 1,3-propylenediaminetetraacetate (CrPDTA) at concentrations of 1.2 M at room temperature and 1.6 M at 40 °C, demonstrating 60% higher negolyte capacity, up to 42.9 Ah L-1 , than previously reported for non-additive-utilizing solutions of this promising material. With extended full cell cycling, we demonstrate the importance of buffer selection and pH when using the Fumasep E-620(K) membrane. Finally, we expand the pH operation range of CrPDTA to pH 7, which when cycled at 100 mA cm-2 against a ferrocyanide posolyte demonstrated excellent coulombic efficiencies >99.7% and energy efficiencies >87%, while operating at almost 700 mV more negative than the thermodynamic hydrogen evolution window.

Long-Life Aqueous Organic Redox Flow Batteries Enabled by Amidoxime-Functionalized Ion-Selective Polymer Membranes.

Redox flow batteries (RFBs) based on aqueous organic electrolytes are a promising technology for safe and cost‐effective large‐scale electrical energy storage. Membrane separators are a key component in RFBs, allowing fast conduction of charge‐carrier ions but minimizing the cross‐over of redox‐active species. Here, we report the molecular engineering of amidoxime‐functionalized Polymers of Intrinsic Microporosity (AO‐PIMs) by tuning their polymer chain topology and pore architecture to optimize membrane ion transport functions. AO‐PIM membranes are integrated with three emerging aqueous organic flow battery chemistries, and the synergetic integration of ion‐selective membranes with molecular engineered organic molecules in neutral‐pH electrolytes leads to significantly enhanced cycling stability.

General Synthesis of Tube-like Nanostructured Perovskite Oxides with Tunable Transition Metal-Oxygen Covalency for Efficient Water Electrooxidation in Neutral Media.

Hydrogen production from water electrolysis in neutral-pH electrolytes can not only avoid the corrosion and safety issues and expand the catalyst option but also potentially integrate with artificial photosynthesis and bioelectrocatalysis. However, heterogeneous catalysts that can efficiently negotiate the sluggish oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in neutral solutions are considerably lacking. Herein, we report a template-assisted strategy for the synthesis of 13 kinds of tube-like nanostructured perovskite oxides (TNPOs) with markedly high Brunauer-Emmett-Teller surface areas. By systematic examination of these TNPOs, we found that the OER activity of TNPOs in neutral solution exhibits a volcano shape as a function of the covalency of transition metal-oxygen bonds. Consequently, our designed Sm-doped LaCoO3 catalyst yields a geometric current density of 8.5 mA cm-2 at 1.75 V versus the reversible hydrogen electrode in 1 M phosphate buffer solution (pH 7) due to the optimized covalency of Co 3d and O 2p states, representing the most active noble-metal-free OER catalyst in neutral electrolytes reported as yet.

3D Cu/In nanocones by morphological and interface engineering design in achieving a high current density for electroreduction of CO2 to syngas under elevated pressure

Syngas produced electrochemically from carbon dioxide electroreduction is quite appealing. To develop the process on a large scale, it would be essential to use selective and cheap electrodes, and to get high production rate with low energy consumptions. Cu-In catalysts are one of the most intriguing in this context because of their inexpensive cost, high Faradaic efficiency in CO (FECO), and excellent stability. However, because of the low current densities demonstrated in aqueous electrolytes, productivities have been rather low up to date. This paper shows that the morphological and interface engineering of 3D Cu/In nanocones designed by facile electrodeposition can perform very well for electrochemical carbon dioxide reduction to syngas. Under 1 atm of CO2 pressure and − 0.6 V to − 1.1 V versus RHE, the current density can reach − 20 mA cm−2 with a FE of 100%. Besides, an increase in CO2 pressure as high as 9.5 bars has increased the content of CO2, which enabled CO partial current density (jCO) to achieve −229.88 mA cm−2, a new record in neutral pH electrolyte for most of the Cu-based electrodes. It proves 3D Cu/In NCs could be the most efficient catalyst for CO2RR in syngas production to the best of our knowledge.

RETRACTED: Super-hydrophilic MgO/NiCo2S4 heterostructure for high-efficient oxygen evolution reaction in neutral electrolytes

Oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in pH-neutral electrolyte is considered more difficult for the additional adsorption and the dissociation process of H 2 O. Herein, by in-suit construction of the heterostructure between MgO and NiCo 2 S 4 on carbon cloth (CC), a novel MgO/NiCo 2 S 4 heterostructure on CC (MgO/NCS-CC) is successfully fabricated. Benefitting from the optimized electronic structure attributed to the construction of hetero-interface, and the intense adsorption of H 2 O on the surface of catalysts owing to the introduction of hydration-effect-promoting (HEP) element Mg, the MgO/NCS-CC exhibits outstanding OER activity with overpotential of 145 mV at the current density of 10 mA·cm −2 in pH-neutral electrolyte and can maintain stability over 40 h. Density-functional theory (DFT) also demonstrates that the MgO/NiCo 2 S 4 heterostructure can effectively adjust the electronic structure and enhance the adsorption of reactant, thus further optimizing Gibbs free energies and improving the activity for OER in pH-neutral electrolyte. A novel heterostructure between MgO and NiCo 2 S 4 on carbon cloth (MgO/NCS-CC) was successfully constructed. Benefiting from the enhancement of H 2 O adsorption by the introduction of hydration-effect-promoting (HEP) element Mg and the construction of the heterostructure, MgO/NCS-CC exhibits outstanding OER performance in pH-neutral electrolyte, which the overpotential of 145 mV at the current density of 10 mA·cm −2 is the lowest among the reported OER electrocatalysts in pH-neutral electrolyte. • The hydration-enhancing-effect element Mg effectively enhanced the adsorption of H 2 O on the surface of catalyst. • The unique electronic structure of the heterostructure is the intrinsic reason for the super OER performance. • The catalyst shows outstanding OER performances and excellent stability in pH-neutral condition. • DFT calculation further reveals the change of electronic structure and the enhancement of water adsorption of the catalyst.

Electrolyte layer gas triggers cathode potential instability in CO2 electrolyzers

Electrolytic carbon dioxide (CO2) reduction is becoming increasingly promising for managing anthropogenic CO2 emissions; however, issues related to unstable performance and ineffective gas management are still not fully accounted for in the field. Here, we identify two instability modes that are directly linked to the electrolyte layer gas saturation for an anion exchange membrane CO2 reduction flow cell circulating a neutral pH electrolyte (KHCO3). The cathode potential exhibits a semi-stable mode with low electrolyte layer gas saturations and a detrimental secondary mode with high gas saturations and a highly noisy, non-stationary potential. We illustrate that the gas saturation has a profound, direct impact on the mode of instability with a direct correlation between the coefficient of variation in cathode potential and the electrolyte layer gas saturation measured with real-time neutron radiography. This correlation is indicative of reaction site gas blockage that results in performance instability and reduced energy efficiency.

Proton sponge promotion of electrochemical CO2 reduction to multi-carbon products

•Organosuperbase-modified Cu promotes CO2 electrocatalysis to multi-carbon products •Organosuperbase modification suppresses carbonate formation challenge •Protonated organosuperbases stabilize CO intermediates on Cu surface •Proton sponge modification presented a 20-fold improvement in C2+ to C1 ratio High alkaline electrolytes have shown the potential to promote high-value C2+ products in the electrochemical CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR), but the practical application is challenged by their strong CO2 absorption with the electrolyte to form carbonate. By modifying the Cu catalyst surface with water-insoluble organosuperbases, such as thebis(dimethylamino)naphthalene “proton sponge,” here, we change the interfacial microenvironment to stabilize adsorbed CO through a locally enhanced electrostatic field while maintaining a neutral pH electrolyte. Molecular dynamics (MD) with a reactive force field and density functional theory (DFT) calculations show that the CO intermediate is stabilized on the Cu surface by protonated organosuperbases, which promotes C2+ product formation over CO desorption. The organosuperbase-modified commercial Cu nanoparticle presented a 20-fold improvement in C2+ to C1 ratio compared with its pristine performance, delivering a maximal C2+ faradic efficiency of ∼80% and large partial current of over 270 mA cm−2 in neutral electrolyte. High alkaline electrolytes have shown the potential to promote high-value C2+ products in the electrochemical CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR), but the practical application is challenged by their strong CO2 absorption with the electrolyte to form carbonate. By modifying the Cu catalyst surface with water-insoluble organosuperbases, such as thebis(dimethylamino)naphthalene “proton sponge,” here, we change the interfacial microenvironment to stabilize adsorbed CO through a locally enhanced electrostatic field while maintaining a neutral pH electrolyte. Molecular dynamics (MD) with a reactive force field and density functional theory (DFT) calculations show that the CO intermediate is stabilized on the Cu surface by protonated organosuperbases, which promotes C2+ product formation over CO desorption. The organosuperbase-modified commercial Cu nanoparticle presented a 20-fold improvement in C2+ to C1 ratio compared with its pristine performance, delivering a maximal C2+ faradic efficiency of ∼80% and large partial current of over 270 mA cm−2 in neutral electrolyte.

Rational design of low loading Pd-alloyed Ag nanocorals for high current density CO2-to-CO electroreduction at elevated pressure

Adjusting a bimetallic electrocatalyst's geometric and electronic structure to promote a certain reaction pathway and provide more active sites is a viable approach for improving the activity and selectivity of an electrocatalytic CO2 reduction process. Here, the authors, for the first-time design, self-supported 3D Ag–Pd nano-coral electrodes with a low loading Pd content through a simple and scalable approach using hydrogen bubble dynamic templates. At −0.6 V vs. Reversible hydrogen evaluation (RHE) CO2, the Ag96.1Pd3.9 bimetallic electrode converts CO2 to CO with a promoted faradic efficiency of 91.5% and partial current density (18.13 mA cm −2). This upgraded activity can be attributed to the aspects that the addition of Pd supports the vital intermediate generation with coral morphology, offers numerous active sites and rises CO2 concentration. In addition, because the catalyst is self-supported, there is no overpotential at the catalyst/support interface. Finally, CO achieved a partial current density of −318 mA cm−2 by rising CO2 pressure to as elevated as 9.5 bar to raise CO2 content. To the best of our knowledge, these findings establish a high record in neutral pH electrolytes for most Ag-based electrodes.

Supported Zinc Nanoparticle Catalysts for Electrocatalytic Hydrogenation of Furfural

Electrocatalytic hydrogenation (ECH) of biomass-derived platform chemicals is a sustainable way to produce value added fuels and chemicals as compared to chemo-catalytic hydrogenation pathway [1,2]. Furfural can be hydrogenated to produce furfuryl alcohol (FAL) and 2-methylfuran (MF) which have applications in pharmaceutical, polymer and fuel industries [1,2].In our prior work, zinc stood out as an efficient metal catalyst in comparison to copper and nickel, achieving 86 % Faradaic efficiency (FE) for the ECH of furfural in neutral pH electrolytes at -0.7 V/RHE [3]. However, the yield of desired products was low compared to fractional conversion, due to electro-dimerization of furfural. Zinc nanoparticles can help to increase the yield of FAL and MF while maintaining the same FE due to high surface area to volume ratio, which will aid in increasing the reaction rate for the conversion of intermediate radicals in ECH of furfural to FAL and MF instead of forming dimerized furfural product. Thus, in this work, we synthesized high surface area zinc nanoparticle catalysts to study their activity for the ECH of furfural. Zinc nanoparticle catalysts were synthesized by electrodeposition using 0.2 M zinc chloride as precursor on bare zinc foil at -2 V/Ag-AgCl for 5 h at 50 C [4]. It was found that current densities in the range of 18-20 mA/cm2 lead to electrodeposited zinc particles, whereas higher current densities (21-26 mA/cm2) give rise to electroplated zinc. SEM analysis revealed the presence of fibrous morphology of zinc particles (Figure 1a). EDS analysis showed that the elemental composition of material was 99 wt% zinc with the remainder oxygen. The BET surface area of the catalyst was found to be 5.6 m2/g with average pore size 10.1 nm. The catalyst exhibited type V isotherm with hysteresis loop of type H3 which signifies plate-like particle aggregates [5]. The differential pore volume vs pore width graph depicts that the zinc catalyst contains both mesopores as well as macropores (Figure 1b). ECH of furfural on these catalysts will be compared to similar results for metallic zinc foil. Post electrolysis characterization will aid in in elucidating reaction mechanism.