Efficient photocatalytic H2-evolution coupled with valuable furfural-production on exquisite 2D/2D LaVO4/g-C3N4 heterostructure

Effectively utilize photogenerated holes (h+) of catalysts while blocking rapid recombination of photoinduced carriers are the two critical challenges for solar-to-hydrogen (STH) conversion. Here, an exquisite 2D/2D LaVO4/ g-C3N4 (LaVO4/CN) heterostructure is delicately designed and fabricated for efficient photocatalytic H2-evolution while producing high value-added furfural simultaneously. The abundant biomass furfuryl alcohol (FFA) is employed to substitute the traditional h+ sacrificial agents such as triethanolamine (TEOA) for the oxidation half reaction, which is very meaningful to balance the H2-evolution half reaction. The LaVO4/CN heterojunction enables 3-time increased H2-evolution and a high furfural-production rate (0.95 mmol g-1 h-1) than that of pristine graphite carbon nitride (g-C3N4, labeled as CN), and with a 22.16% H2-evolution apparent quantum efficiency (AQE) irradiated at 400 nm. This work provides an exquisite catalyst and a new strategy for efficient photocatalytic H2-evolution coupled with production of high valuable chemicals.

Automated summary

This study presents an exquisitely designed LaVO4/CN heterostructure for efficient photocatalytic hydrogen production and high-value chemical synthesis. By substituting traditional sacrificial agents with biomass furfuryl alcohol, the LaVO4/CN heterojunction achieves significantly increased hydrogen evolution and furfural production rates, providing a new strategy for sustainable energy conversion and value-added chemical production.