Recent advances of ethylene glycol oxidation reaction: Catalytic mechanism, catalyst design and applications

Ethylene glycol (EG) is a promising candidate for direct fuel cells due to its high energy density, easy storage, and low toxicity. In addition, it is also a precursor for polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Therefore, the realization of the ethylene glycol oxidation reaction (EGOR) can provide ideas for the upgrading and recycling of PET. However, the key to realize these applications hinges on understanding the EGOR mechanism and developing efficient, stable catalysts for selective oxidation. This review outlines the general EGOR mechanism, and discusses noble and non-noble metal-based catalysts used in EGOR, with a focus on catalyst design. And then, this paper specifies the applications of EGOR in direct ethylene glycol fuel cells (DEGFC), PET upgrading and recycling. Finally, this paper provides some insights on the synthesizing strategy and design of EGOR catalysts as well as the applications of EGOR. © 2024 Royal Society of Chemistry. All rights reserved.