Photoelectrochemical Lignin Conversion to Chemical Building Blocks using Nanostructured Semiconductor Photoelectrodes

Abstract

Molecular-based dye-sensitized photoelectrochemical cells (DSPECs) have traditionally targeted solar-driven water splitting for the conversion of solar energy into fuels in aqueous media. Here we describe a novel approach to develop the DSPEC by combining hydrogen atom transfer catalysis (HAT) with nanostructured semiconductors and photocatalysts for biomass and solar energy conversion. This work reports the application of the DSPEC specifically designed to carry out photocatalytic oxidation of benzylic alcohol moieties at the photoanode (mesoporous TiO2 nanoparticles electrode) followed by reductive cleavage of the oxidized functional groups at the photocathode (macro-mesoporous NiO nanoparticles electrode) in non-aqueous media. Current studies targeting the development of photocatalysts via HAT process for biomass conversion especially lignin conversion will be described, with the novel finding that a dye-sensitized photoelectrochemical cell utilizes a solar-driven catalytic conversion of woody biomass into value-added fuels and chemicals under aerobic mild conditions.