Work

Photothermal Synergistic Catalysis of Cellulose Liquefaction by BiOCl‐g‐C 3 N 5 Heterojunction Photocatalysts: Enhanced Bio‐Oil Yield and Quality

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: With increasing attention to fossil fuel consumption and environmental pollution, the development of clean and sustainable biofuels has become increasingly urgent. Hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) is a promising technology for converting biomass into bio‐oil, but traditional HTL processes face challenges such as low conversion efficiency and high energy consumption. To address these issues, this study synthesized a series of B/CN heterogeneous photocatalysts with different BiOCl (BOC) and g‐C 3 N 5 molar ratios by solvothermal method and applied them to the photothermal synergistic catalytic liquefaction of cellulose in methanol. Methanol can be recycled and reused. It has been proven that BOC formed a heterojunction with g‐C 3 N 5 , extending the photo responsive range of the photocatalyst to the visible light region, promoting the separation and transfer of photogenerated carriers, and optimizing the dispersion of active components. The effect of photocatalyst on the chemical composition and thermal stability of bio‐oil was studied. The B/CN‐1:2 photocatalyst achieved optimal performance, with a maximum yield of 61.23 • wt% for bio‐oil, an higher heating value of 21.39 MJ/kg, and an energy conversion efficiency of 77.41%. Bio‐oil is mainly composed of high‐value compounds such as alcohols, esters, and ethers, with reduced heavy components and improved thermal stability. Mechanistic studies have shown that the photothermal synergistic effect of B/CN catalysts promotes the cleavage of cellulose glycosidic bonds by generating reactive free radicals through the photodegradation of methanol. This work provides a feasible strategy for improving the efficiency and quality of biomass HTL by designing high‐performance photothermal catalysts and offers new insights for the sustainable production of biofuels.

Source: ChemSusChem

DOI: 10.1002/cssc.202502708

Authors: Jiajin Jiang, Xin Wen, Guangguo Niu, Ce Sun, Haiyan Tan, Yanhua Zhang

Institutions: Northeast Forestry University, Qinghai Institute of Technology

Language: English

Topic: Thermochemical Biomass Conversion Processes

Subfield: Biomedical Engineering

Field: Engineering

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDGs: Affordable and clean energy, Responsible consumption and production

Open Access status: green

Funders: National Natural Science Foundation of China, Natural Science Foundation of Heilongjiang Province