Photoelectrocatalytic hydrogen generation coupled with reforming of glucose into valuable chemicals using a nanostructured WO3 photoanode

Abstract

Coupling the photo-oxidation of biomass-derived substrates with water splitting in a photoelectrochemical cell enables efficient hydrogen generation at the cathode. Here, a photoelectrochemical device employing a nanostructured WO3 photoanode displays photocurrents of 6.5 mA cm−2 through oxidation of glucose, in turn producing valuable products in the form of gluconic and glucaric acids, erythrose and arabinose.