Bandgap engineering control bifunctional MnCdS photocatalysts selectively reforming xylose to C3 organic acids and efficient hydrogen production.

The simultaneous reforming of biomass into high value-added chemicals and H production by water splitting in a green and environmentally clean way is a very challenging task. Herein, we demonstrate the design of bifunctional MnCdS photocatalyst with a controllable band gap by bandgap engineering. Bandgap engineering effectively regulates the oxidation and reduction capacity of materials. The design of photocatalysts with suitable conduction bands and valence bands makes the targeted conversion of xylose possible. Innovative conversion of xylose to glyceric acid, lactic acid, and propanoic acid. The optimized MnCdS catalyst showed excellent performance in the production of H (14.06 mmol·g·h, 29.9 times more than CdS and 351.5 times more than MnS), xylose conversion (90%), and C3 organic acid yield (59.2%) without cocatalyst and any scavengers under visible light irradiation. This work shows that a rational photocatalyst design can achieve efficient simultaneous production of high value-added chemicals and clean energy.