Synergistic Pt–Rh bimetallic sites anchored on carbon nitride for efficient lignocellulose photoreforming towards co-production of hydrogen and lactic acid

Lignocellulose biomass, a plentiful and renewable resource found in abundance on Earth, holds significant promise in reforming into H 2 and value-added biochemicals like lactic acid through photocatalytic technology. However, the efficient photorefinery encounters challenges, including the recombination of photo-induced carriers, poor H 2 evolution, and slow biomass oxidation. Here, we report a bimetallic catalyst supported on layered carbon nitride (PtRh/CN) for lignocellulose photoreforming. This catalyst combines the synergistic effects of Pt and Rh, enhancing both the absorption of visible light and the separation and migration of photogenerated charge carriers. The optimal catalyst achieves a high hydrogen production rate of 6.1 mmol g −1  h −1 and a lactic acid yield of 92.9 %. Mechanistic studies using specific scavengers demonstrate that e − , h + , 1 O 2 , ⋅O 2 − , and ⋅OH species all facilitate the simultaneous production of hydrogen and lactic acid. This study not only advances the efficient utilization of lignocellulose biomass but also provides a novel framework for designing highly efficient photocatalysts for photoreforming biomass into hydrogen and biochemicals.