Sacrifice and valorization of biomass to realize energy exploitation and transformation in a photoelectrochemical way

Abstract

Photoelectrochemistry (PEC) transfers photoexcited electrons from a photocatalyst to a cathode through a wire, to avoid, to a considerable extent, the recombination of charge carriers in solitary photocatalysis. The moderate bias also consumes less energy than electrocatalysis, rendering PEC a green and promising transformation approach. PEC biomass conversion can be performed at a lower bias than PEC water splitting, and biomass holds great potential for valorization as the world's largest renewable resource. In recent years, there has been escalating interest in the study of PEC valorization from the sacrifice of biomass, but only a few reviews have systematically and specifically addressed it. This review discusses the conversion mechanism of organics, the catalyst and system configuration, and the effect of other variables in detail based on different structures and types of biomass substrates. A brief outlook on the development of the field is outlined in the end as well, and PEC is expected to be an alternative low-carbon, energy-saving, multi-objective route to biomass valorization.