Solar energy-driven H2O2 photosynthesis from water and oxygen using Ba-implanted ordered carbon nitride

H₂O₂, a green oxidant and clean fuel, is in high demand across chemical industries, environmental treatments, and even aerospace. However, traditional production methods rely on energy-intensive processes that are not environmentally friendly. Scientists have devoted to find a greener alternative, and semiconductor photocatalysis using solar energy to drive chemical reactions has emerged as a promising solution. To date, various photocatalysts, such as TiO₂, BiVO₄, metal-organic complexes and organic polymers, have been explored for H₂O₂ photosynthesis. Especially, cost-effective graphitic carbon nitride (g-C₃N₄) has caught widespread attention in H₂O₂ photosynthesis due to its elemental abundance, high structure stability and appropriate band structure. However, the H₂O₂ production efficiency of traditional g-C₃N₄ is severely limited due to poor crystallinity and selectivity in two-electron oxygen reduction reaction (2e^--ORR). Therefore, improving the in-plane crystallinity of bulk g-C₃N₄ is greatly requisite to sufficiently trigger oxygen reduction reaction for efficient photocatalytic H₂O₂ production.

Recently, a research team led by Prof. Yaorong Su from Shenzhen Technology University, China, ingeniously overcomes these obstacles. They developed a new type of photocatalyst, in-plane highly ordered g-C₃N₄ nanorods with barium (Ba) atoms implanted. This innovation not only enhances the in-plane crystallinity but also induces a highly selective 2e^--ORR, which is the key of efficient H₂O₂ production.

The Ba-implanted nanorods work their magic by altering the way oxygen molecules (O₂) interact with the photocatalyst. Instead of the typical side-on binding that favors water production, the Ba atoms encourage a more favorable end-on binding. This change significantly reduces the possibility of O-O bond breaking, effectively suppressing the competing four-electron reaction and boosting the production of H₂O₂. An outstanding 6.1 times increase in H₂O₂ production rate compared to the original g-C₃N₄ was achieved. This breakthrough not only optimizes the photocatalytic process of solar energy-driven H₂O₂ photosynthesis but also opens up new possibilities for designing efficient catalysts for solar-to-fuel conversion, bringing us closer to a sustainable future. This work was published in Chinese Journal of Catalysis (https://doi.org/10.1016/S1872-2067(24)60008-2).

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About the Journal

Chinese Journal of Catalysis is co-sponsored by Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences and Chinese Chemical Society, and it is currently published by Elsevier group. This monthly journal publishes in English timely contributions of original and rigorously reviewed manuscripts covering all areas of catalysis. The journal publishes Reviews, Accounts, Communications, Articles, Highlights, Perspectives, and Viewpoints of highly scientific values that help understanding and defining of new concepts in both fundamental issues and practical applications of catalysis. Chinese Journal of Catalysis ranks among the top one journals in Applied Chemistry with a current SCI impact factor of 15.7. The Editors-in-Chief are Profs. Can Li and Tao Zhang.

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