Graphene Oxide-Based Materials for Electrochemical Hydrogenation of Nitro and Carbonyl Compounds in Membrane Reactor and Catalysis of Glycerol Acetylation

Abstract

This study investigated graphene oxide (GO)-based materials for sustainable catalytic and electrochemical applications. Two systems were developed: a GO-based proton-conductive membrane reactor for electrochemical hydrogenation, and a sulfonated GO (s-GO) solid acid catalyst for glycerol acetylation. In the electrochemical reactor, the dual-functionalized CeIm-GO membrane exhibited improve proton conductivity and high ion selectivity, enabling energy-efficient hydrogenation under ambient pressure and temperature. Selective reductions of aromatic nitro and ketone compounds were accomplished, highlighting the potential of GO-based membranes for hydrogen-related applications. Simultaneously, pristine GO and s-GO were synthesized and evaluated for glycerol acetylation. Although GO already showed high intrinsic catalytic activity due to its oxygen-containing functional groups, sulfonation introduced –SO₃H groups that provided stronger Brønsted acidity and led to modest improvements in selectivity toward diacetin and triacetin while maintaining nearly identical total conversion. The s-GO catalyst showed good short-term recyclability, with deactivation primarily associated with partial loss of sulfonic groups and reduced surface area, while the GO framework remained stable. Overall, this work demonstrates the multifunctionality of graphene oxide as a tunable carbon-based platform. Its adjustable surface chemistry, acidity, and membrane properties position GO-derived materials as promising candidates for green energy conversion, biomass upgrading, and sustainable hydrogen utilization.

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