A metal-free photocatalyst for highly efficient hydrogen peroxide photoproduction in real seawater

Nature Communications

Yajie Zhao¹  Fan Liao¹  Qingyao Wu¹  Yang Liu¹  Jingjing Cao¹  Yan Liu¹  Hui Wang¹  Hui Huang¹  Mingwang Shao¹  Xiao Wang¹  Zhenghui Kang² 

[1] Institute of Functional Nano and Soft Materials Laboratory (FUNSOM), Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Carbon-Based Functional Materials & Devices, Soochow University, 215123, Suzhou, PR China;Institute of Functional Nano and Soft Materials Laboratory (FUNSOM), Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Carbon-Based Functional Materials & Devices, Soochow University, 215123, Suzhou, PR China;Macao Institute of Materials Science and Engineering, Macau University of Science and Technology, Taipa, 999078, Macau SAR, China;

DOI  :  10.1038/s41467-020-20823-8

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

Artificial photosynthesis of H2O2 from H2O and O2, as a spotless method, has aroused widespread interest. Up to date, most photocatalysts still suffer from serious salt-deactivated effects with huge consumption of photogenerated charges, which severely limit their wide application. Herein, by using a phenolic condensation approach, carbon dots, organic dye molecule procyanidins and 4-methoxybenzaldehyde are composed into a metal-free photocatalyst for the photosynthetic production of H2O2 in seawater. This catalyst exhibits high photocatalytic ability to produce H2O2 with the yield of 1776 μmol g−1h−1 (λ ≥ 420 nm; 34.8 mW cm−2) in real seawater, about 4.8 times higher than the pure polymer. Combining with in-situ photoelectrochemical and transient photovoltage analysis, the active site and the catalytic mechanism of this composite catalyst in seawater are also clearly clarified. This work opens up an avenue for a highly efficient and practical, available catalyst for H2O2 photoproduction in real seawater.

【 授权许可】

CC BY