Publication date: 22nd July 2026
Since the discovery of photo-assisted water splitting on TiO₂ by Honda and Fujishima in 1972, solar-driven H₂ production has been a major research focus[1]. However, this approach suffers from the thermodynamic barrier of water oxidation and rapid charge recombination, issues typically addressed by introducing sacrificial hole scavengers. In this context, saccharides, the major components of lignocellulosic biomass, represent a dual advantage: beyond acting as hole scavengers, they can undergo photoreforming reactions producing up to 12 moles of H₂ per monosaccharide unit, far exceeding the 3 moles obtained from methane steam reforming. In previous studies, we demonstrated that such carbohydrates can be oxidized under realistic sunlight conditions (AM 1.5G) using Au nanoparticles deposited on a semiconducting support (Au/SC)[2]. Building on this, the present study reports the synthesis of Au/TiO₂ (P25) nanocatalysts and evaluates their performance for solar hydrogen production from glucose under simulated sunlight (AM 1.5G). Wavelength-selective experiments clarify the origin of the photocatalytic excitation and confirm the respective roles of the semiconductor, including the specific contributions of the anatase and rutile polymorphs, and gold nanoparticles in the reaction mechanism. This work further investigates the photoreforming of carbohydrates ranging from mono to polysaccharides, aiming to elucidate the underlying photocatalytic mechanisms and maximize H₂ production yield.
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