Lignin‐carbon buffered Cu sites for clean H2 evolution coupled to lignin upgrading to jet fuel precursor

Abstract Solar‐driven photocatalysis is a promising strategy for clean hydrogen (H 2 ) generation cooperated with selective organic synthesis. Lignin, rich in aromatic units and functional groups, serves as an ideal hole sacrificial agent and substrate, facilitating H 2 evolution and yielding high‐value chemicals/fuels. To boost overall photocatalytic redox efficiency, thermal catalysis was further combined to enhance the transfer and activity of photo‐generated carriers. And a highly controllable Cu‐based catalyst was developed using technical lignin‐carbon as an electron buffer. The active‐pyrolyzed lignin‐carbon layer precisely regulated the crystal dispersion of Cu species on Cu/SiO 2 , simultaneously dynamically constructing active electron‐rich Cu 0 and electron‐deficient Cu σ + (1 < σ ≤ 2) sites. Excellent thermo‐photo redox performances were achieved, with an H 2 evolution rate up to 1313.2 μmol·g cat −1 ·h −1 and a yield of 45.2% for C13–C16 aromatic dimers from lignin monomers. This study reveals the highly utilization of lignin in functional catalysts, as well as the efficient production of H 2 and jet fuel precursors.