Breakthrough in Photocatalytics: QILU University of Technology Researchers Develop Efficient Approach for Lignin Valorization

Scientists at QILU University of Technology have made a significant breakthrough in photocatalytics, developing a novel approach for the selective depolymerization of lignin and the production of aromatic monomers from sustainable biomass. This innovative technique involves the construction of photocatalytic materials by integrating nickel-based metal-organic layers with carbon quantum dots doped with phosphorus into covalent triazine frameworks. Funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China and the Cultivate Excellence Foundation of Qilu University of Technology, this research has the potential to revolutionize the field of biomass valorization.

Key Takeaways:

The researchers designed a set of photocatalytic materials by integrating nickel-based metal-organic layers with carbon quantum dots doped with phosphorus into covalent triazine frameworks through an in situ compositing approach.
The newly designed photocatalysts showed excellent performance in the selective depolymerization of lignin, with the highest yield of benzaldehyde and benzoic acid reported as 96.6% and 59.84%, respectively.
The introduction of phosphorus-doped carbon quantum dots increased the number of active sites and improved the photogenerated electron transport channel, enabling the controlled generation of specific free radicals for C-C bond scission.
This work offers a facile strategy for fabricating photocatalysts that can be applied to biomass valorization, making it a valuable contribution to the field of sustainable chemistry.
The research was conducted by a team of scientists led by Shuangzhen Guo at QILU University of Technology, with additional authors including Jianjie Wang, Xudong Guo, Linglong Shi, Da Li, Huifang Ma, Yamin Lei, Zeyun Hao, and Lihong Zhang.

Statistics:

96.6%: The highest yield of benzaldehyde reported by the researchers.
59.84%: The highest yield of benzoic acid reported by the researchers.
5 authors: Additional authors listed in the research article, alongside the lead author Shuangzhen Guo.
1 institution: QILU University of Technology, which funded and conducted the research.

Sources:

Acs Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering: The journal in which the research was published (NewsRx, 2025).
"In-situ-constructing Covalent Triazine Framework Carbon Quantum Dot-ni-mol Composite Photocatalysts With a Sandwich Structure and Their Application In the Selective Cleavage of C-c Bonds In Lignin": The research article title (Acs Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering, 2025).
QILU University of Technology: The institution that conducted and funded the research (Shandong Academy of Sciences, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Jinan 250353, People's Republic of China).