Acta Phys. -Chim. Sin. ›› 2024, Vol. 40 ›› Issue (12): 2407005.doi: 10.3866/PKU.WHXB202407005

Special Issue: Solar fuel preparation

• REVIEW • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Transition Metal Oxides/Chalcogenides for Electrochemical Oxygen Reduction into Hydrogen Peroxides

Xiaofeng Zhu1,2,*(), Bingbing Xiao1,2, Jiaxin Su1,2, Shuai Wang3, Qingran Zhang3,*(), Jun Wang1,2,*()   

  1. 1 State Key Laboratory of Environment-Friendly Energy Materials, School of Materials and Chemistry, Southwest University of Science and Technology, Mianyang 621010, Sichuan Province, China
    2 Tianfu Institute of Research and Innovation, Southwest University of Science and Technology, Chengdu 610299, China
    3 State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
  • Received:2024-07-07 Revised:2024-08-03 Accepted:2024-08-03 Published:2024-11-09
  • Contact: Email: junwang091@163.com (Jun Wang)xfzhu@swust.edu.cn (Xiaofeng Zhu)qingran_zhang@tongji.edu.cn (Qingran Zhang)
  • Supported by:
    the National Natural Science Foundation of China(52202305); the National Natural Science Foundation of China(22176155); National Natural Science Foundation of Sichuan Province, China(2023NSFSC0095); Outstanding Youth Talents of Sichuan Science and Technology Program(22JCQN0061); Long Shan Talents Plan of SWUST(22zx7103); Scientific Research Foundation for the Returned Overseas Chinese Scholars, Department of Human Resource and Social Security of Sichuan Province(22zd3148)

Abstract:

Electrochemical oxygen reduction reaction via the two-electron pathway (2e-ORR) is becoming a promising and sustainable approach to producing hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) without significant carbon footprints. To achieve better performance, most of the recent progress and investigations have focused on developing novel carbon-based electrocatalysts. Nevertheless, the sophisticated preparations, decreased selectivity and undefined active sites of carbon-based catalysts have been generally acknowledged and criticized. To this end, transition metal oxides and chalcogenides have increasingly emerged for 2e-ORR, due to their catalytic stability and tunable microstructure. Here, the development of metal oxides and chalcogenides for O2-to-H2O2 conversion is prospectively reviewed. By summarizing previous theoretical and experimental efforts, their diversity and outstanding catalytic activity are firstly provided. Meanwhile, the topological and chemical factors influencing 2e-ORR selectivity of the metal oxides/chalcogenides are systematically elucidated, including morphology, phase structures, doping and defects engineering. Thus, emphasizing the influence on the binding of ORR intermediates, the active sites and the underlying mechanism is highlighted. Finally, future opportunities and challenges in designing metal oxides/chalcogenides-based catalysts for H2O2 electro-synthesis are outlined. The present review provides insights and fundamentals of metal oxides/chalcogenides as 2e-ORR catalysts, promoting their practical application in the energy-related industry.

Key words: Oxides, Chalcogenides, Oxygen reduction reaction, H2O2 electro-synthesis, Active sites