LED white-light-driven photocatalysis for effective lignocellulose reforming to co-produce hydrogen and value-added chemicals via Zn2/O@IP-g-CN

Synchronous photocatalytic water splitting and the reforming of a biomass-derived feedstock to generate hydrogen and high-value-added chemicals make full utilization of the biomass-water-splitting redox reaction; however, limited successes in this regard have been reported. Herein, incompletely polymerized graphitic carbon nitride co-doped with zinc/oxygen atoms (Zn 2 /O@IP- g -CN) was prepared via a step-by-step low-temperature calcination process with the assistance of melamine and zinc phthalocyanine, which successfully resulted in simultaneous photocatalytic water splitting and the reforming of biomass-derived monosaccharides to produce hydrogen (11436.7 μmol g −1 h −1 ) and lactic acid (92.6 %), respectively. Zn 2 /O@IP- g -CN exhibits a fast separation/migration rate and low resistance compared to those of pure CN, resulting in Zn 2 /O@IP- g -CN showing enhanced photocatalytic activity. The hydrogen release rate of 86.8 % and lactic acid yield of 89.0 % were retained compared to initial values when Zn 2 /O@IP- g -CN was reused in 5 th cycles. Poisoning experiments indicated that 1 O 2 , ·O 2 - , ·OH, and h + were all beneficial for lactic acid production.