image: This graphical abstract outlines GOR as a dual solution for biodiesel byproduct valorization and renewable chemical production, highlighting advanced catalyst designs to overcome C-C cleavage challenges, system coupling strategies, and outlining industrialization pathways.
Credit: Carbon Future, Tsinghua University Press
The transition toward a sustainable, post-fossil fuel economy demands innovative solutions for converting abundant biomass into valuable chemicals. Electrochemical glycerol oxidation (GOR) has emerged as a particularly promising pathway, turning a major biodiesel byproduct into a resource for green chemical production and renewable energy integration.
A team of researchers, led by Professors Zupeng Chen and Associate Professor Wenjun Zhang from Nanjing Forestry University, recently provided a comprehensive perspective on the advancements and future roadmap of GOR technology. Their work highlights how this process can simultaneously upgrade waste glycerol and reduce the energy demand for producing chemicals and hydrogen, contributing to circular biorefineries and carbon neutrality goals.
Glycerol, constituting about 10-15% of biodiesel output, is produced in massive quantities. While its raw market value is low, its electrochemical conversion under mild conditions can yield a spectrum of high-value products—such as dihydroxyacetone, glyceric acid, lactic acid, and formic acid—which are worth 20 to 4000 times more. Critically, GOR requires a much lower thermodynamic potential than the traditional oxygen evolution reaction (OER), making it an energy-efficient alternative when paired with valuable cathodic processes like hydrogen production
A central challenge in GOR is controlling the reaction pathway, as many catalysts inherently favor carbon-carbon (C-C) bond cleavage, leading to less valuable C1 products like formic acid rather than preserving the carbon backbone for higher-value multi-carbon chemicals. To address this, researchers are employing sophisticated strategies. For noble metal catalysts based on platinum (Pt), gold (Au), and palladium (Pd), techniques like facet control, alloying (e.g., PtAu), and atomic modification (e.g., with Bi or Sn) are used to optimize the adsorption of reaction intermediates and suppress unwanted C-C cleavage. Concurrently, cost-effective non-noble alternatives based on nickel (Ni), cobalt (Co), and copper (Cu) are being enhanced through doping, ordered intermetallic structuring, and ligand engineering to improve activity and direct selectivity. Moreover, innovative operational strategies such as pulsed potential electrolysis have proven highly effective; by dynamically modulating the applied voltage, scientists can prevent catalyst deactivation, maintain optimal surface states, and significantly boost selectivity—for instance, increasing glyceric acid yield from 37.8% to 81.8%.
Beyond optimizing standalone reactions, a key thrust of modern GOR research is system integration, where coupling GOR at the anode with valuable cathodic reduction reactions maximizes overall efficiency and output. For example, pairing with hydrogen evolution (HER) enables co-production of green hydrogen and valuable organic chemicals while significantly lowering energy input compared to conventional water splitting. Coupling with CO2 reduction (CO2RR) simultaneously upgrades biomass and consumes carbon dioxide, co-producing chemicals like formate at both electrodes for superior atom and energy economy. Similarly, integration with nitrate reduction (NO3RR) offers a route to synthesize ammonia—a crucial fertilizer—from nitrate pollutants in wastewater while oxidizing glycerol, thereby addressing both energy and environmental challenges in a unified process.
While laboratory successes are compelling, translating GOR technology to industry requires overcoming hurdles related to scalability, long-term stability at high current densities, and handling real-world, impure "crude glycerol" feedstocks. The researchers outline a roadmap focusing on advanced membrane-electrode assembly (MEA) design to manage mass transfer and product separation, the development of durable and self-healing catalyst systems, and rigorous techno-economic assessments to guide practical implementation. Early analyses suggest such integrated processes can transform an energy-intensive step into an economically viable or even profitable operation.
This perspective charts a course for GOR technology to evolve from a focus on catalyst activity to a holistic paradigm that prioritizes system-level integration, economic viability, and environmental impact. Through continued interdisciplinary collaboration in materials science, electrochemistry, and chemical engineering, electrochemical glycerol valorization stands poised to become a cornerstone of sustainable biorefineries, contributing to a greener chemical industry and a carbon-neutral future.
About the Corresponding Author
Dr. Zupeng Chen is a full professor and doctoral supervisor at Nanjing Forestry University. He is the recipient of the prestigious National Young Talent Program and currently serves as the Director of the Department of Forest Products Chemical Engineering at the College of Chemical Engineering, Nanjing Forestry University. Dr. Chen has been honored with several prestigious fellowships, including the Max Planck Society Doctoral Fellowship and the Alexander von Humboldt Fellowship. He is also the recipient of the Jiangsu Distinguished Professorship. Recognized for his exceptional research contributions, he has consistently been listed in the global top 2% of scientists. To date, Dr. Chen has published over 140 research papers in highly respected scientific journals, which have been cited more than 11,500 times, earning him an H-index of 50. His work has been featured on 16 journal covers, with 16 of his papers designated as highly cited, and 3 noted as hot topics in the field. Dr. Chen's research has significantly advanced the field, with more than 80 of his papers—where he has served as the first or corresponding author—published in top-tier journals such as Nature Nanotechnology, Nature Communications, National Science Review, Journal of the American Chemical Society, Angewandte Chemie International Edition, Advanced Materials, ACS Catalysis, Journal of Catalysis, Chinese Journal of Catalysis, Applied Catalysis B: Environment, Advanced Functional Materials, and ACS Nano. He has also contributed to the academic community by serving as a youth editorial board member for several prominent journals.
Dr. Wenjun Zhang is an associate professor at Nanjing Forestry University, working in applied fundamental research on the electrocatalytic conversion of carbon-based molecules. She has expertise in the design and synthesis of efficient heterogeneous catalysts and their application in electrocatalytic CO2 reduction and biomass valorization. Her innovative research has been recognized through her selection for the Jiangsu Youth Science and Technology Talent Support Program. Dr. Zhang has received several prestigious awards, including the "Jiangsu Double Innovation Doctor" designation and the "Wiley Outstanding Open Science Author" and "Wiley Open Science Excellent Author Program" awards. She was also honored with the "Jiangsu Low-Carbon Technology Society Youth Science and Technology" Award. To date, she has successfully secured funding for six national and provincial-level research projects and has authored or co-authored over 40 research papers in reputable scientific journals.
Among her many contributions, Dr. Zhang has had the privilege of serving as the first or corresponding author for over 20 papers published in high-impact journals such as Angewandte Chemie International Edition, Nano Letters, ACS Catalysis, Advanced Science (with one paper achieving single-paper highest citations exceeding 900), and Nano Energy. Her work has also been recognized through her role as a Review Editor for the journal Frontiers in Carbon. Her research not only advances scientific knowledge but also garners significant attention and citations within the academic community.
About Carbon Future
Carbon Future (https://www.sciopen.com/journal/2960-0561) is an open access, peer-reviewed, and international interdisciplinary journal sponsored by Tsinghua University and published by Tsinghua University Press. It serves as a platform for researchers, scientists, and industry professionals to share their findings and insights on carbon-related materials and processes, including catalysis, energy storage and conversion, as well as low carbon emission process and engineering. It features cutting-edge research articles, insightful reviews, perspectives, highlights, and news and views in the field of carbon. The article publishing charge is covered by the Tsinghua University Press. Carbon Future aims at being a leading journal in related fields.
Journal
Carbon Future
Article Title
Electrocatalytic glycerol valorization: From catalyst design to integrated systems
Article Publication Date
22-Dec-2025