Cellulose-Derived Carbon Dot-Guided Growth of ZnIn 2 S 4 Nanosheets for Photocatalytic Oxidation of 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural into 2,5-Diformylfuran.

Cellulose-derived carbon (CC) dot-directed growth of ZnIn 2 S 4 was achieved through hydrothermal treatment of carboxylated cellulose followed by in situ growth of ZnIn 2 S 4 nanosheets. The carbon dots inherited from carboxylated cellulose equip plenty of surface carboxyl groups, which induce the ionic interaction with Zn 2+ and In 3+ and the guided growth of ZnIn 2 S 4 . As a result, the nanosheets of ZnIn 2 S 4 are evenly and intimately grown on the small carbon dots, providing high-speed channels for charges transfer. In conjunction with the reinforced visible-light capture and good conductivity of carbon dots, the resultant CC/ZnIn 2 S 4 shows an outstanding photocatalytic activity. As a proof-of-concept, visible-light-driven 5-hydroxymethylfurfural oxidation into 2,5-diformylfuran was conducted. The evolution of 2,5-diformylfuran over the optimal CC/ZnIn 2 S 4 sample can reach ∼2980 μmol g -1 , about 3.4 times that of pristine ZnIn 2 S 4 . Additionally, the apparent quantum yield could attain 3.4 % at a wavelength of 400 nm.