Leveraging the synergy between Ru0 and interfacial Ruδ+ sites during enhanced H2 production through aqueous phase reforming of glycerol

This study demonstrates that electronically enriched Ru-centers significantly enhance hydrogen production via aqueous phase reforming (APR) of glycerol. Hydrotalcite-derived Ru-MMO catalysts with optimized Ru loading (1.2 wt%) exhibited superior catalytic activity, achieving glycerol conversion of 82.2% and H₂ selectivity of 83.5%, with a hydrogen production rate of 86.7 mmol g −1 h −1 . XPS and in situ DRIFTS analyses reveal that the synergistic interaction between Ru 0 and interfacial Ruδ + species plays a critical role in catalytic performance. The Ru δ+ sites facilitate CO adsorption and promote water–gas shift (WGS) activity, while surface hydroxyl groups assist in CO diffusion, preventing active site poisoning. The catalyst demonstrates good stability over 24 h with a slight decline in H₂ selectivity, attributed to strong metal-support interaction and controlled nanoparticle size. This work highlights the importance of interfacial electronic effects and catalyst design in enhancing hydrogen production from biomass-derived feedstocks. • Aqueous phase reforming of glycerol was studied using ruthenium-based mixed metal. • oxide catalysts (Ru-MMO) derived from hydrotalcites. • The catalyst 2Ru-MMO with 1.2% Ru content demonstrated outstanding stability and excellent catalytic performance towards the glycerol conversion (~82%) and H 2 selectivity (> 93%). • The XPS studies combined with the in situ DRIFT technique suggested that Ru 0 and the interfacial Ru δ+ sites in the catalysts are primarily responsible for the stable catalytic performance of the catalyst. • The interfacial Ru δ+ sites in the hydrotalcite matrix facilitate CO adsorption and simultaneously suppress the poisoning of active catalytic sites (Ru 0 ) in the catalysts. • The hydroxyl groups present at the surface of the catalysts are propitious for the diffusion of CO adsorbed on catalytic sites.