Electrochemically synthesized H2O2 at industrial-level current densities enabled by in situ fabricated few-layer boron nanosheets

Abstract Carbon nanomaterials show outstanding promise as electrocatalysts for hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) synthesis via the two-electron oxygen reduction reaction. However, carbon-based electrocatalysts that are capable of generating H2O2 at industrial-level current densities (>300 mA cm−2) with hi...

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Main Authors: Yuhan Wu, Yuying Zhao, Qixin Yuan, Hao Sun, Ao Wang, Kang Sun, Geoffrey I. N. Waterhouse, Ziyun Wang, Jingjie Wu, Jianchun Jiang, Mengmeng Fan
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2024-12-01
Series:Nature Communications
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-55071-7
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author Yuhan Wu
Yuying Zhao
Qixin Yuan
Hao Sun
Ao Wang
Kang Sun
Geoffrey I. N. Waterhouse
Ziyun Wang
Jingjie Wu
Jianchun Jiang
Mengmeng Fan
author_facet Yuhan Wu
Yuying Zhao
Qixin Yuan
Hao Sun
Ao Wang
Kang Sun
Geoffrey I. N. Waterhouse
Ziyun Wang
Jingjie Wu
Jianchun Jiang
Mengmeng Fan
author_sort Yuhan Wu
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Carbon nanomaterials show outstanding promise as electrocatalysts for hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) synthesis via the two-electron oxygen reduction reaction. However, carbon-based electrocatalysts that are capable of generating H2O2 at industrial-level current densities (>300 mA cm−2) with high selectivity and long-term stability remain to be discovered. Herein, few-layer boron nanosheets are in-situ introduced into a porous carbon matrix, creating a metal-free electrocatalyst (Bn-C) with H2O2 production rates of industrial relevance in neutral or alkaline media. Bn-C maintained > 95% Faradaic efficiency during a 140-hour test at 300 mA cm−2 and 0.1 V vs. RHE, and delivered a mass activity of 25.1 mol gcatalyst −1 h−1 in 1.0 M Na2SO4 using a flow cell. Theoretical simulations and experimental studies demonstrate that the superior catalytic performance originates from B atoms with adsorbed O atoms in the boron nanosheets. Bn-C outperforms all metal-based and metal-free carbon catalysts reported to date for H2O2 synthesis at industrial-level current densities.
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spelling doaj-art-6c4c6875dd2d4422a6d948aef4d899332025-08-20T02:46:00ZengNature PortfolioNature Communications2041-17232024-12-0115111310.1038/s41467-024-55071-7Electrochemically synthesized H2O2 at industrial-level current densities enabled by in situ fabricated few-layer boron nanosheetsYuhan Wu0Yuying Zhao1Qixin Yuan2Hao Sun3Ao Wang4Kang Sun5Geoffrey I. N. Waterhouse6Ziyun Wang7Jingjie Wu8Jianchun Jiang9Mengmeng Fan10Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center of Efficient Processing and Utilization of Forest Resources, Nanjing Forestry UniversityKey Lab of Biomass Energy and Material, Jiangsu Province; Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center of Efficient Processing and Utilization of Forest Resources, Institute of Chemical Industry of Forest Products, Chinese Academy of ForestryJiangsu Co-Innovation Center of Efficient Processing and Utilization of Forest Resources, Nanjing Forestry UniversityKey Lab of Biomass Energy and Material, Jiangsu Province; Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center of Efficient Processing and Utilization of Forest Resources, Institute of Chemical Industry of Forest Products, Chinese Academy of ForestryKey Lab of Biomass Energy and Material, Jiangsu Province; Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center of Efficient Processing and Utilization of Forest Resources, Institute of Chemical Industry of Forest Products, Chinese Academy of ForestryKey Lab of Biomass Energy and Material, Jiangsu Province; Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center of Efficient Processing and Utilization of Forest Resources, Institute of Chemical Industry of Forest Products, Chinese Academy of ForestrySchool of Chemical Sciences, The University of AucklandSchool of Chemical Sciences, The University of AucklandDepartment of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of CincinnatiKey Lab of Biomass Energy and Material, Jiangsu Province; Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center of Efficient Processing and Utilization of Forest Resources, Institute of Chemical Industry of Forest Products, Chinese Academy of ForestryJiangsu Co-Innovation Center of Efficient Processing and Utilization of Forest Resources, Nanjing Forestry UniversityAbstract Carbon nanomaterials show outstanding promise as electrocatalysts for hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) synthesis via the two-electron oxygen reduction reaction. However, carbon-based electrocatalysts that are capable of generating H2O2 at industrial-level current densities (>300 mA cm−2) with high selectivity and long-term stability remain to be discovered. Herein, few-layer boron nanosheets are in-situ introduced into a porous carbon matrix, creating a metal-free electrocatalyst (Bn-C) with H2O2 production rates of industrial relevance in neutral or alkaline media. Bn-C maintained > 95% Faradaic efficiency during a 140-hour test at 300 mA cm−2 and 0.1 V vs. RHE, and delivered a mass activity of 25.1 mol gcatalyst −1 h−1 in 1.0 M Na2SO4 using a flow cell. Theoretical simulations and experimental studies demonstrate that the superior catalytic performance originates from B atoms with adsorbed O atoms in the boron nanosheets. Bn-C outperforms all metal-based and metal-free carbon catalysts reported to date for H2O2 synthesis at industrial-level current densities.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-55071-7
spellingShingle Yuhan Wu
Yuying Zhao
Qixin Yuan
Hao Sun
Ao Wang
Kang Sun
Geoffrey I. N. Waterhouse
Ziyun Wang
Jingjie Wu
Jianchun Jiang
Mengmeng Fan
Electrochemically synthesized H2O2 at industrial-level current densities enabled by in situ fabricated few-layer boron nanosheets
Nature Communications
title Electrochemically synthesized H2O2 at industrial-level current densities enabled by in situ fabricated few-layer boron nanosheets
title_full Electrochemically synthesized H2O2 at industrial-level current densities enabled by in situ fabricated few-layer boron nanosheets
title_fullStr Electrochemically synthesized H2O2 at industrial-level current densities enabled by in situ fabricated few-layer boron nanosheets
title_full_unstemmed Electrochemically synthesized H2O2 at industrial-level current densities enabled by in situ fabricated few-layer boron nanosheets
title_short Electrochemically synthesized H2O2 at industrial-level current densities enabled by in situ fabricated few-layer boron nanosheets
title_sort electrochemically synthesized h2o2 at industrial level current densities enabled by in situ fabricated few layer boron nanosheets
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-55071-7
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