Enhanced H 2 Generation via Piezoelectric Reforming of Waste Sugars and Fruits Using Au-Decorated g-C 3 N 4

Ke Ren, Fangjie Ding, Lijun Zhang, Fengping Peng, Jianzhong Guo () and Chunzheng Wu ()
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Ke Ren: College of Chemistry and Materials Engineering, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou 311300, China
Fangjie Ding: College of Chemistry and Materials Engineering, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou 311300, China
Lijun Zhang: College of Chemistry and Materials Engineering, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou 311300, China
Fengping Peng: Institute of Advanced Materials and Flexible Electronics (IAMFE), School of Chemistry and Materials Science, Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology, Nanjing 210044, China
Jianzhong Guo: College of Chemistry and Materials Engineering, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou 311300, China
Chunzheng Wu: College of Chemistry and Materials Engineering, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou 311300, China

Sustainability, 2024, vol. 16, issue 10, 1-13

Abstract: The food industry is responsible for generating considerable amounts of waste, such as excess fruits and leftover sugars, which contribute to resource depletion and pose environmental challenges. This research delves into the application of gold-modified graphitic carbon nitride nanosheets (Au/CN) as a potent catalyst for the transformation of these food wastes into H 2 via piezoelectric reforming during sonication. Au/CN demonstrated a superior rate of H 2 evolution compared to pristine g-C 3 N 4 (i.e., 1533.3 vs. 364.9 µmol/g/h) and it maintained its efficiency through multiple cycles of use. The catalytic activity was found to be optimal at a neutral pH level and with increased sugar concentrations. The enhanced catalytic performance of Au/CN was ascribed to the efficient segregation of charge carriers as well as the reduced charge transfer distance. This study underscores the viability of using Au/CN as a means for converting food wastes into a sustainable source of H 2 energy.

Keywords: carbon nitride; piezoelectric catalysis; H 2 evolution; reforming; sugar (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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