Effect of Co-catalyst on the Selective Electrooxidation of Glycerol over Ruthenium-based Nanomaterials

Ruthenium-based Pd and Pt nanoparticles were prepared by mild microwave-assisted heating and were characterized by X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. The activities of these catalysts during the oxidation of glycerol in alkaline media were studied by electrochemical, analytical, and insitu spectroscopy techniques. Changing the noble metal (Pd or Pt) allowed the selectivity of the catalysts to be tailored during the electrooxidation of glycerol. This introduces the possibility of utilizing the catalysts in cogeneration processes for renewable energy sources and also of employing the catalysts to produce value-added molecules selectively. High-performance liquid chromatography evidenced that the PtRu material had excellent catalytic activity in the selective oxidation of glycerol to dihydroxyacetone, whereas the PdRu anode favored the production of glycerate.