Constructing Zn3In2S6/Bi2MoO6 heterojunction photocatalyst for cooperative furfuryl alcohol conversion and H2 evolution

Zn 3 In 2 S 6 /Bi 2 MoO 6 (ZIS/BMO) type-II heterojunction composite is designed as a cooperative photoredox catalyst for integrating H 2 production and furfural (FAL) synthesis. • The type-II band alignment in ZIS/BMO can not only promote the separation and migration of charge carriers but also obtain the effective separation of oxidation and reduction reaction sites, thereby enhancing the photocatalytic activity. • This work is expected to provide new insights into achieving synergistic clean energy production and biomass-derived molecules valorization. Solar-driven H 2 production integrated with biomass valorization represents an appealing avenue to simultaneously generate clean energy and realize atom-economical chemical synthesis. Herein, we fabricate Zn 3 In 2 S 6 /Bi 2 MoO 6 (ZIS/BMO) type-II heterojunction composites as photocatalysts for a cooperative catalysis integrating H 2 production with the conversion of furfuryl alcohol (FOL) into furfural (FAL) under visible-light illumination. The type-II band alignment in the ZIS/BMO heterojunction enables not only the effective separation of oxidation and reduction reaction sites but also efficient charge separation and interfacial migration, thereby enhancing the photocatalytic performance. Specifically, the FAL formation and H 2 evolution rates over ZIS/BMO are 7.2 and 6.7 times higher than those over ZIS, and 9.6 and 12.4 times higher than those of BMO, respectively. Mechanistic insight studies reveal that carbon-centered radicals (•CH(OH)C 4 H 3 O) are key intermediates in the photocatalytic conversion of FOL to FAL. This work would provide a new perspective into the design of type-II heterojunction semiconductor-based photocatalysts for synergistic clean energy production and biomass valorization. Download: Download high-res image (167KB) Download: Download full-size image