Energy and Chemicals from the Selective Electrooxidation of Renewable Diols by Organometallic Fuel Cells

Direct alcohol fuel cells (DAFCs) are the only devices that can convert the free energy of an alcohol into electrical energy with simultaneous release of a product with higher added value. However, known electrocatalysts based on metal nanoparticles are not selective in the oxidation of diols. In our Communication, we report that organometallic fuel cells (OMFCs) are capable of providing simultaneously high power densities and chemicals of industrial importance through the highly selective oxidation of renewable diols. The possibilities and range of applications of OMFC technology is very large in view of the fact that molecular metal complexes can be easily embedded in a huge variety of nanosized conducting supports of great relevance in (electro)catalysis and photocatalysis, such as functionalized fullerenes, carbon nanotubes, nanofibers, and other nanosized matrices, for example, titania nanotubes.