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

Chen, Yan; Song, Xuhao; Wang, Jia-Hao; Gao, Bin-Yu; Hu, Yun-Hui; Han, Xu; Guan, Jie; Yuan, Yong-Jun · Nano Lett · 2026

basic_science · Level V

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Abstract

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