Affiliation:
1. Engineering Department University of Palermo Viale dell Scienze Ed. 6 Palermo 90128 Italy
2. Institute of Physical Chemistry Polish Academy of Sciences Kasprzaka 44/52 Warsaw 01‐224 Poland
3. Laboratory of Electrochemistry‐Corrosion Metallurgy and Inorganic Chemistry Faculty of Chemistry USTHB BP 32 Algiers 16111 Algeria
4. Laboratory of Storage and Valorisation of Renewable Energies Faculty of Chemistry USTHB BP 32 Algiers 16111 Algeria
Abstract
AbstractIn this work, MBi2O4‐P25 (M = Cu, Ni, Co, Zn) composites are successfully synthesized by a simple ball milling method by varying some parameters (rotation speed, rotation time, metal/TiO2 ratio) to optimize the preparation conditions. The noble metal‐free TiO2‐based photocatalysts are used to carry out the partial oxidation of glucose and glycerol with the simultaneous H2 production under simulated solar light irradiation. Starting from glucose, 2.6 mmol of H2 are obtained with a conversion of 34%, along with arabinose, formic acid and gluconic acid as main intermediates. By using glycerol, 3.2 mmol of H2 are produced, with 17% conversion and the production of dihydroxyacetone and glycolic acid. The composites exhibit higher activity than pure P25 and CuBi2O4 (CBO). The produced H2 amount is comparable to that reported in the literature by using Pt–TiO2 photocatalysts. This study offers a paradigm for the future design of bifunctional photocatalysts for simultaneous noble metal‐free H2 production and biomass valorization under environmentally friendly conditions with a possible scale up of the process.