{
  "abstract": "text Finding strategies to maximize the density of catalytically active sites is pivotal to enhancing the electrooxidative depolymerization of lignin. Here, we present a Ni 3 S 2 precatalyst grown on nickel foam that, upon electrochemical activation, self-reconstructs into a NiOOH electrocatalyst with a high density of Ni 3+ active sites. This proliferation of active sites drastically increases the anodic currents for the oxygen evolution reaction as well as for benzyl alcohol oxidation. Operando Raman spectroscopy confirms the formation of the active NiOOH phase at low operating potential, while depth-profiling analysis reveals that this active phase extends tens of nanometers deep before transitioning to the underlying sulfide core. Electrooxidation of veratrylglycerol-beta-guaiacyl ether, a model dimer bearing a β-O-4 interunit linkage, selectively yields veratric acid and veratraldehyde, confirming the C α -C β bond cleavage. Applied to organosolv lignin extracted from pine wood, the electrocatalyst achieves substantial depolymerization, reducing the average molecular weight three-fold and releasing vanillic acid and vanillin as major monomeric products, reaching 22.4 % of the theoretical maximum monomer yield. Overall, this self-reconstructed architecture offers a compelling route for boosting the activity of oxyhydroxide-based electrodes while retaining their intrinsic selectivity.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [],
  "article_type": null,
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 6,
  "authors": [
    {
      "name": "Javier Fernández Catalá"
    },
    {
      "name": "Xavier Marset"
    },
    {
      "name": "Salvador Montilla-Verdu"
    },
    {
      "name": "Elio Rico"
    },
    {
      "name": "Francisco J. Vidal-Iglesias"
    },
    {
      "name": "Néstor Guijarro",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-3277-8816"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/97jzf93nk5fh1.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.26434/chemrxiv.15010006/v1",
  "fulltext_url": null,
  "id": "97jzf93nk5fh1",
  "issns": [],
  "landing_url": "https://chemrxiv.org/doi/full/10.26434/chemrxiv.15010006/v1",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "CC-BY",
  "licence_label": "CC BY",
  "licence_source": "journal",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "openalex",
      "2204|Lignin and Wood Chemistry"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7220831206",
  "pdf_url": "https://chemrxiv.org/doi/pdf/10.26434/chemrxiv.15010006/v1",
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-10-06",
  "publisher": "American Chemical Society (ACS)",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/97jzf93nk5fh1.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:17:22Z",
      "native_id": "10.26434/chemrxiv.15010006",
      "source": "chemrxiv",
      "url": "https://chemrxiv.org/doi/full/10.26434/chemrxiv.15010006/v1"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "chemistry",
      "origin": "source:chemrxiv",
      "subfield": "general"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Sulfur-Driven Surface Reconstruction of Nickel into NiOOH for Enhanced Electrooxidative Lignin Depolymerization",
  "title_text": "Sulfur-Driven Surface Reconstruction of Nickel into NiOOH for Enhanced Electrooxidative Lignin Depolymerization",
  "type": "preprint",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:17:22Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/97jzf93nk5fh1",
  "venue": "ChemRxiv",
  "versions": []
}