Electrocatalytic hydrogenation of alkyne and alkene using proton conductive graphene oxide membrane

Graphene-based membranes are emerging as promising materials for energy and chemical conversion due to their exceptional proton conductivity and stability. In this study, we report a graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets membrane for electrochemical hydrogenation reactions. The GO membrane demonstrates excellent proton conductivity, confirmed through concentration cell measurement and complex impedance spectroscopy, and efficiently facilitates proton transport when integrated with active platinum catalysts as the cathode and anode. This system enables selective hydrogenation of alkyne and alkene into their corresponding alkane, achieving selectivities of 82% to 93%. This work highlights the potential of graphene-based membrane reactors as a cost-effective, scalable, and energy-efficient alternative to traditional hydrogenation methods.