Lignin-carbon buffered Cu sites for clean H2 evolution coupled to lignin upgrading to jet fuel precursor

Abstract

Solar-driven photocatalysis is a promising strategy for clean hydrogen (H2) generation cooperated with selective organic synthesis. Lignin, rich in aromatic units and functional groups, serves as an ideal hole sacrificial agent and substrate, facilitating H2 evolution and yielding high-value chemicals/fuels. To boost overall photocatalytic redox efficiency, thermal catalysis was further combined to enhance the transfer and activity of photo-generated carriers. And a highly controllable Cu-based catalyst was developed using technical lignin-carbon as an electron buffer. The active-pyrolyzed lignin-carbon layer precisely regulated the crystal dispersion of Cu species on Cu/SiO2, simultaneously dynamically constructing active electron-rich Cu0 and electron-deficient Cuσ+ (1 < σ ≤ 2) sites. Excellent thermo-photo redox performances were achieved, with an H2 evolution rate up to 1313.2 μmol·gcat−1·h−1 and a yield of 45.2% for C13–C16 aromatic dimers from lignin monomers. This study reveals the highly utilization of lignin in functional catalysts, as well as the efficient production of H2 and jet fuel precursors.