Progress made in the electrochemical synthesis of hydrogen peroxide

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Progress Made in the Electrochemical Synthesis of Hydrogen Peroxide Author/Source: Sinochem News Network Date: May 26, 2020 Clicks: 3 Recently, researchers at the Shenyang Materials Science **Research Center of the Institute of Metals, Chinese Academy of Sciences, have made progress in the field of efficient catalysis of hydrogen peroxide electrochemical synthesis using nanocarbon materials. This progress provides guidance for the design and development of electrochemical systems for hydrogen peroxide synthesis that offer high yields, good stability, and low costs. 　　A new method for producing hydrogen peroxide via the electrochemical oxygen reduction pathway is being considered as a potential alternative route. Currently, the catalysts used in the electrochemical oxygen reduction process for hydrogen peroxide production are mainly precious metal materials, but their limited reserves and high costs make it difficult to meet the demands of modern chemical industry for green, environmentally friendly, and sustainable development. Nanocarbon materials hold promise as alternative materials to precious metal catalysts for use in electrochemical oxygen reduction reactions. 　　By correlating the surface chemical structure of typical carbon materials with their reactivity in catalyzing the electrochemical reduction of oxygen to produce hydrogen peroxide, researchers found that the carboxyl functional groups on the surface of carbon materials are the main active centers for the electrochemical reduction of oxygen to generate hydrogen peroxide. Moreover, ensuring the timely desorption of hydrogen peroxide from these active centers is key to improving their selectivity and yield. 　　Based on the above analysis, the researchers proposed a research approach that utilizes interface engineering techniques and reaction kinetics principles to regulate the selectivity of carbon-catalyzed electrochemical oxygen reduction reactions. They utilized the electrostatic interaction between cationic surfactants and carboxyl groups to reduce the interaction between the carboxyl functional groups on the surface of the carbon material and the two-electron oxygen reduction products, thereby preventing further reduction and achieving highly selective electrochemical synthesis of hydrogen peroxide. This carbon/surfactant composite catalytic material system exhibits the highest reported hydrogen peroxide selectivity, the widest overpotential window, and considerable stability to date. 　　Thanks to the excellent catalytic performance of nano-carbon/surfactant composite electrode materials in the electrochemical synthesis of hydrogen peroxide, the entire reaction system features low energy consumption, being green and sustainable, as well as good stability. 　　Hydrogen peroxide is a green, renewable, and environmentally friendly oxidant used in fields such as environmental remediation, fine chemicals, and the electronics industry. Its industrial production relies mainly on the anthraquinone process, which uses hydrogen and oxygen as raw materials; however, this method has issues such as high energy consumption, difficulties in transferring and storing raw materials and products, and serious safety hazards.