High-Entropy Electrocatalysts: Unlocking Dual-Production of Hydrogen and Glycerol-Derived Chemicals

High-Entropy Catalyst for Electrochemical Hydrogen and Glycerol Conversion

Date: May 19, 2025
Source article: AZoNano

In a major step forward for sustainable energy technologies, researchers from the Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering (NIMTE), Chinese Academy of Sciences, have developed a high-entropy electrocatalyst capable of simultaneously generating hydrogen and converting glycerol into valuable chemical products. Led by Professor Liang Chen, the work was recently published in Nature Nanotechnology.

Why Hydrogen and Glycerol Matter

Hydrogen is widely hailed as a clean energy carrier, crucial for decarbonizing industries such as chemicals, transportation, and power. Traditionally, hydrogen production through water electrolysis has been limited by the sluggish and energy-intensive oxygen evolution reaction (OER) at the anode, which leads to low overall energy efficiency.

Glycerol, a byproduct of biodiesel production, offers a promising alternative oxidation target. Instead of evolving oxygen, the system can selectively convert glycerol into glycerate, a high-value chemical used in cosmetics, food additives, and pharmaceuticals. This approach both enhances energy efficiency and creates added economic value.

The High-Entropy Catalyst Breakthrough

The NIMTE team engineered a nanostructured catalyst composed of five metallic elements—Platinum (Pt), Copper (Cu), Cobalt (Co), Nickel (Ni), and Manganese (Mn). This high-entropy design enables superior surface engineering, resulting in improved catalytic activity and selectivity for glycerol electro-oxidation.

Key performance highlights:

  • 75.2% selectivity for glycerate production at high current density (200 mA cm⁻²)
  • Over 210 hours of stable operation during continuous electro-oxidation
  • Enhanced energy efficiency by circumventing the traditional OER

These results establish the high-entropy PtCuCoNiMn catalyst as a dual-function platform—efficiently producing both green hydrogen and high-value chemicals from glycerol in a single electrolyzer setup.

Implications for Clean Energy and Circular Chemistry

This research not only addresses critical performance bottlenecks in water electrolysis but also contributes to circular economy efforts by valorizing waste glycerol. Instead of treating glycerol as a byproduct, this approach turns it into a useful feedstock—aligning with global goals for carbon peaking and carbon neutrality.

By integrating electrocatalytic glycerol upgrading with hydrogen generation, this strategy offers a cost-effective, sustainable alternative to conventional electrolysis—potentially lowering production costs while delivering higher efficiency and added commercial benefits.

A Platform for Scalable Green Chemistry

Future directions could involve adapting this high-entropy catalyst framework to other organic molecules, expanding its scope beyond glycerol and hydrogen. The modular nature of the catalyst design and its compatibility with existing electrolyzer architectures make it a promising candidate for industrial-scale deployment.

This innovation underscores the power of materials science in creating multifaceted solutions to energy and environmental challenges. As research advances, we move closer to integrated, sustainable systems that produce energy and value-added products in tandem.

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#hydrogenproduction #highentropymaterials #glycerolelectrooxidation #greentechnology #electrocatalysis #nanomaterials #sustainableenergy #circulareconomy #sciencecommunication #quantumservernetworks

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