Photoreforming of solid waste on 1 m² scale using single-source precursor-derived co-catalyst films

Photocatalytic reforming offers a route to valorize biomass and plastic waste into clean H₂ under ambient conditions. However, the scalability of photocatalyst sheets is limited by high-temperature processing, binders and complex co-catalyst deposition. Here a [Co₄Zr₂O(O ⁿ Pr)₁₀(acac)₄] single-source precursor is deposited onto Al-doped SrTiO₃ and immobilized on glass substrates to fabricate photocatalyst sheets using multiple techniques, including high-throughput spray coating. The resulting sheets enable photoreforming of cellulose- and polyethylene terephthalate-derived feedstocks, producing H₂ alongside value-added organics such as formate, acetate, glycolate and glycolaldehyde dimer. The system is demonstrated from the centimeter- to meter-squared scale, culminating in a 1-m² outdoor reactor operating under natural sunlight. After 6 h, H₂ yields reached 5.24 and 1.51 mmol m^-2 for glucose and pretreated cellulose, respectively, with concurrent formation of oxygenates. Techno-economic analysis based on real-world data estimates an H₂ cost of £0.93 mmol^-1. This work advances scalable photocatalytic reforming and provides a step towards practical deployment.