Plasmonic enhanced furfural hydrogenation catalyzed by stable carbon coated copper nanoparticles driven from metal-organic frameworks

Efficient selective hydrogenation of furfural (FAL) to furfuryl alcohol (FOL) under mild conditions with non-noble metal catalyst is highly desirable in biomass upgrading. Commercial FOL production over Cu based catalyst still suffer from harsh reaction conditions and significant deactivation due to its instability. Herein we report stable Cu nanoparticles encapsulated by few layer carbon prepared by the pyrolysis of metal organic framework HKUST-1 in H2/Ar, which exhibit excellent catalytic performance and stability in FAL hydrogenation under visible light irradiation. The Cu nanoparticles absorb visible light and generate photoexcited electrons due to the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) effect, and these electrons can transfer energy to molecules absorbed on the Cu NPs surface, inducing effective dissociation of H2 and hydrogenation of FAL. The present study can give a guidance for designing stable Cu based LSPR photocatalyst and provides a mild and efficient route for biomass conversion in terms of green chemistry.