Trace Ru Incorporation Boosted Co₂P 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 H₂O as a potential source for active hydrogenated and oxygenated species fulfill the purpose. In this study, Ru─Co₂P nanorods are explored as a bifunctional electrocatalyst toward valorization of Organics at basic media. The in-situ electrogenerated Co³⁺ and Co⁴⁺ species act as active oxidants toward product selectivity. An overpotential of 68 mV is found for hydrogen evolution reaction (1 m NaOH) with Ru─Co₂P. Further, used as cathode, Ru─Co₂P 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 Co₂P surface results in enhanced adsorption of substrates. Ru doping modulates the electronic structure of Co₂P which changes the density of states resulting in faster water dissociation and water splitting. To reach 10 mA cm⁻² 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.