Making H 2 from Light and Biomass over Ni/Mo 2 C Catalysts under Mild Conditions

Photothermal reforming of biomass to H 2 has emerged as a promising strategy for biomass utilization but remains an enormous challenge to construct an efficient conversion system under mild conductions. Here, Ni-coated Mo 2 C microsphere (Ni/Mo 2 C) composites with an electron-depletion Ni (Ni δ+ ) region and an electron-accumulation Mo 2 C (Mo 2 C δ− ) region were developed as efficient catalysts for photothermal reforming of biomass to H 2 in neutral aqueous solution. In Ni/Mo 2 C catalysts, the Ni δ+ region acted as efficient Lewis acidic sites to be used as active sites for biomass oxidation, while Mo 2 C δ− can be used as active sites for the H 2 generation reaction, which enhances the photothermal catalytic activity of Ni/Mo 2 C catalysts for biomass-to-H 2 conversion. As a result, common plant biomass was successfully converted to H 2 by Ni/Mo 2 C catalysts in neutral aqueous solution with the maximum H 2 evolution rate of 117 μmol g –1 h –1 in the wheat straw system under 300 W Xe lamp irradiation.