Research Progress on Electrocatalytic Synthesis of Hydrogen Peroxide by Two-electron Oxygen Reduction

Hydrogen peroxide (H2 O2)is a versatile and environmental-friendly oxidant, which is widely used in chemical synthesis, wastewater treatment, and pulp/textile bleaching. Current industrial manufacturing of H2 O2 is mainly based on an anthraquinone method, which has disadvantages such as high energy consumption, tedious process, and potential safety concern for its storage and transportation. Electrocatalytic H2 O2 production through two-electron oxygen reduction reaction (2e– ORR) has recently emerged as an intriguing alternative, enabling on-site H2 O2 generation according to practical demands. The efficiency of 2e– ORR directly depends on electrocatalysts’ activity, selectivity, and stability. This review would briefly introduce the ORR mechanism and performance evaluation methods of 2e– ORR catalysts. Then, an overview of the recent advance in precious metal and carbon-based electrocatalysts for 2e– ORR is provided, emphasizing structure optimization, compositional doping, active site regulation, and surface/interface design of these catalysts. Furthermore, the present challenges and critical issues to be solved in the future are prospected to guide further development toward the electrocatalytic synthesis of H2 O2 © 2023 Cailiao Daobaoshe/ Materials Review. All rights reserved.