Selective Oxidation of 5-Hydroxymethyl Furfural Coupled with H Production over Surface Sulfur Vacancy-Rich ZnInS/BiMoO Heterojunction Photocatalyst.

The construction of heterojunctions and surface defects is a promising strategy for enhancing photocatalytic activity. A surface sulfur vacancy (V)-rich ZnInS/BiMoO heterojunction photocatalyst (ZIS-V/BMO) was herein developed for the selective oxidation of biomass-derived 5-hydroxymethyl furfural (HMF) to value-added 2,5-diformylfuran (DFF) coupled with H production. The ZIS-V/BMO heterojunction consisted of BiMoO (BMO) with preferentially exposed high-index (131) facets and V-rich two-dimensional (2D) ZnInS (ZIS-V) nanosheets with preferentially exposed high-index (102) facets. The directional transfer of light-driven electrons from BMO to ZIS-V occurs in the heterojunction interface, as confirmed by an in situ irradiated XPS (ISI-XPS) measurement, which facilitates the electron-hole separation. The benefits of V in activating HMF, suppressing overoxidation of DFF, and accelerating electron transport were disclosed by molecular simulation. ZIS-V/BMO displays outstanding performance with a DFF yield of 74.1% and a DFF selectivity of 90%, as well as a rapid rate of H evolution. This research would help design highly efficient photocatalysts and develop a new technology for biomass resource utilization.