Annadanam Venkata Sesha Sainath

Photoreforming of biomass presents a promising approach for sustainable H ₂ production by utilizing renewable solar energy under ambient conditions. However, its application is often limited by the poor solubility of biomass‐derived substrates. Herein, this challenge is addressed by synthesizing hydrophilic, electron‐rich pyridine‐based glycopolymers via reversible addition‐fragmentation chain transfer polymerization, followed by deacetylation of glucose‐ and maltose‐based segments. The polymers and CdS nanorods are thoroughly characterized using various spectroscopic and thermal analyses. The resulting deacetylated glycopolymers exhibit enhanced aqueous solubility and are employed as biomass replacement for photoreforming. The as‐prepared CdS nanorods with P4VP‐ b ‐PMDG significantly improve glucose photoreforming, achieving an efficient hydrogen evolution rate of up to 1685 μ mol h ⁻¹ g ⁻¹ with an apparent quantum yield of 4.10% under alkaline conditions (10 M NaOH). The CdS nanorods' stability is investigated through a photocatalytic recyclability test, representing a regeneration efficiency of 94.36% in the fourth cycle. This work highlights the potential of tailored hydrophilic polymers to overcome solubility limitations and enhance the efficiency of biomass photoreforming systems.

Carbon recycling is poised to emerge as a prominent trend for mitigating severe climate change and meeting the rising demand for energy. Converting carbon dioxide (CO₂) into green energy and valuable feedstocks through photocatalytic CO₂ reduction (PCCR) offers a promising solution to global warming and energy needs. Among all semiconductors, zinc oxide (ZnO) has garnered considerable interest due to its ecofriendly nature, biocompatibility, abundance, exceptional semiconducting and optical properties, cost‐effectiveness, easy synthesis, and durability. This review thoroughly discusses recent advances in mechanistic insights, fundamental principles, experimental parameters, and modulation of ZnO catalysts for direct PCCR to C₁ products (methanol). Various ZnO modification techniques are explored, including atomic size regulation, synthesis strategies, morphology manipulation, doping with cocatalysts, defect engineering, incorporation of plasmonic metals, and single atom modulation to boost its photocatalytic performance. Additionally, the review highlights the importance of photoreactor design, reactor types, geometries, operating modes, and phases. Future research endeavors should prioritize the development of cost‐effective catalyst immobilization methods for solid‐liquid separation and catalyst recycling, while emphasizing the use of abundant and non‐toxic materials to ensure environmental sustainability and economic viability. Finally, the review outlines key challenges and proposes novel directions for further enhancing ZnO‐based photocatalytic CO₂ conversion processes.

Conjugated polymers and titanium-based metal-organic framework (Ti-MOF) photocatalysts have demonstrated promising features for visible-light-driven hydrogen production. We report herein a strategy of anisotropic phenanthroline-based ruthenium polymers (PPDARs) over Ti-MOF, a tunable platform for efficient visible-light-driven photocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Several analytical methods including X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) revealed the judicious integration of the surface-active polymer over the Ti-MOF reinforcing the catalytic activity over the broad chemical space. PPDAR-4 polyacrylate achitecture led to a substantial increase in the H₂ evolution rate of 2438 µmolg⁻¹h⁻¹ (AQY: 5.33%) compared to pristine Ti-MOF (238 µmol g⁻¹ h⁻¹). The separation of photogenerated charge carriers at the PPDAR-4/Ti-MOF interface was confirmed by the optical and electrochemical investigations. The experimental, as well as theoretical data, revealed their physical and chemical properties which are positively correlated with the H₂ generation rate. This offers a new avenue in creating polymer-based MOF robust photocatalysts for sustainable energy.