Solar hydrogen production is a crucial technology for a sustainable future. This paper presents a photoelectrochemical cell achieving a record photocurrent density of 19.8 mA cm⁻² for hydrogen production. This is accomplished by using a high-performance organic-inorganic halide perovskite as a panchromatic absorber and lignocellulosic biomass as an electron source, operating at lower potentials. The process also yields value-added chemicals (vanillin and acetovanillone) from lignin depolymerization, leaving cellulose largely intact for further use. This approach significantly improves solar hydrogen productivity and promotes effective lignocellulosic biomass utilization.

Yuri Choi, Rashmi Mehrotra, Sang-Hak Lee, Trang Vu Thien Nguyen, Inhui Lee, Jiyeong Kim, Hwa-Young Yang, Hyeonmyeong Oh, Hyunwoo Kim, Jae-Won Lee, Yong Hwan Kim, Sung-Yeon Jang, Ji-Wook Jang, Jungki Ryu