Synthesis and properties of a Cu2O decorated BiVO4 nanocomposite photocatalyst
Biomass-derived 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) is a key platform molecule for producing high-value chemicals and clean fuels. This study presents a Cu<sub>2</sub>O-decorated BiVO<sub>4</sub> nanocomposite photocatalyst synthesized via a sol-gel-hydrothermal method, enabling efficient visible-light-driven oxidation of HMF to 2,5-diformylfuran (DFF) with simultaneous H<sub>2</sub> production. The p-n heterojunction formed between Cu<sub>2</sub>O and BiVO<sub>4</sub> promotes charge separation, enhancing photocatalytic activity. Under optimized conditions, the system achieved 49% DFF yield and 947 μmol/g H<sub>2</sub> in 8 h, maintaining high selectivity and stability over five cycles. The work offers a sustainable route for biomass valorization and clean energy generation.
Authors
- Xinyue Liang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2177-2782)
- Xiaojun Ma (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6398-5992)
- Jiahu Guo (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8120-5013)
- Jianbo Lai (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8137-7701)
- Zhigang Wang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3028-5196)
- Yang Yang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0008-3245-8661)
- Xiaoping Chen (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2910-9152)
- Shuai He
- Yanwu Yu
- Chen Guijing
- Fu Ziguo
Institutions
- North University of China (CN)
Publication Details
- Journal
- iScience
- Published
- 2025-10-30
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.isci.2025.113896
- Primary Topic
- Advanced Photocatalysis Techniques
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00