Hydrogen evolution and electric power generation through photoelectrochemical oxidation of cellulose dissolved in aqueous solution

Photoelectrochemical (PEC) cells capable of generating electricity or hydrogen through the oxidation of cellulose dissolved in an aqueous solution were constructed. As distinct from solid cellulose, the cellulose liquid fuel was beneficial for enabling a continuous reactant supply. Product analyses revealed that the cellulose macromolecules were cleaved to small organic acids and finally decomposed to CO2. During the electricity generation, the maximum power density of the PEC cell reached 1.13 mW cm(-2). The influence of the photoelectrode structure on the PEC performance was elucidated. The monolithic structure of photoanodes consisting of an approximate monolayer of SrTiO3 particles anchored onto the backside metal layer provided a high photocurrent during oxygen evolution. The porous photoanode composed of heavily stacked TiO2 nanoparticles was found to be suitable for cellulose decomposition because of the high specific surface area. The present study should serve as a foundation for the direct energy utilization of waste biomass.