A metal-free photocatalyst for highly efficient hydrogen peroxide photoproduction in real seawater
Qingyao Wu, Jingjing Cao, Xiao Wang, Yan Liu, Yu Zhao, Hui Wang, Yang Liu, Hui Huang, Fan Liao, Mingwang Shao, Zhenghui Kang
Abstract
Abstract Artificial photosynthesis of H 2 O 2 from H 2 O and O 2 , 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 H 2 O 2 in seawater. This catalyst exhibits high photocatalytic ability to produce H 2 O 2 with the yield of 1776 μmol g −1 h −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 H 2 O 2 photoproduction in real seawater.