Electronic Metal‐Support Interactions Boost *OOH Intermediate Generation in Cu/In<sub>2</sub>Se<sub>3</sub> for Electrochemical H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub> Production
Yuepeng Liu, Pengfei Wang, Liangbo Xie, Yuguo Xia, Sihui Zhan, Wenping Hu, Yi Li
Abstract
Abstract Two‐electron oxygen reduction reaction (2e − ORR) is a promising method for the synthesis of hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ). However, high energy barriers for the generation of key *OOH intermediates hinder the process of 2e − ORR. Herein, we prepared a copper‐supported indium selenide catalyst (Cu/In 2 Se 3 ) to enhance the selectivity and yield of 2e − ORR by employing an electronic metal–support interactions (EMSIs) strategy. EMSIs‐induced charge rearrangement between metallic Cu and In 2 Se 3 is conducive to *OOH intermediate generation, promoting H 2 O 2 production. Theoretical investigations reveal that the inclusion of Cu significantly lowers the energy barrier of the 2e − ORR intermediate and impedes the 4e − ORR pathway, thus favoring the formation of H 2 O 2 . The concentration of H 2 O 2 produced by Cu/In 2 Se 3 is ~2 times than In 2 Se 3 , and Cu/In 2 Se 3 shows promising applications in antibiotic degradation. This research presents a valuable approach for the future utilization of EMSIs in 2e − ORR.