Organic–inorganic heterojunction photoanode for photoelectrochemical conversion of glycerol to dihydroxyacetone

Abstract

Photoelectrochemical (PEC) valorization of biomass-derived molecules represents a promising approach for coupling solar energy conversion with the production of value-added chemicals. However, the efficiency of conventional photoanodes is often limited by severe charge recombination and sluggish surface reaction kinetics, which restrict selective biomass oxidation. Herein, a ternary FeOOH/2PACz/BiVO₄ photoanode is developed for the selective PEC conversion of glycerol to dihydroxyacetone (DHA). In this architecture, the organic semiconductor 2PACz serves as an interfacial layer to facilitate directional charge separation and enhance interfacial charge transport within the BiVO₄ photoanode. The FeOOH/2PACz/BiVO₄ photoanode achieves a photocurrent density of 3.90 mA cm⁻² at 1.2 V vs. RHE and a faradaic efficiency of 40.2% toward DHA production. This work highlights the potential of organic–inorganic interface engineering for improving charge separation and catalytic selectivity in solar-driven biomass upgrading.