Accelerating water dissociation to achieve ampere-level hydrogen peroxide electrosynthesis in brine and seawater

Abstract Ampere-level hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) electrosynthesis in brine and seawater via two-electron oxygen reduction reaction (2e− ORR) is promising, but limited by the slow water dissociation and insufficient protons in neutral media. Hence, we design a multifunctional Ni(OH)2 nanoplates anchore...

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Main Authors: Jiahuan Nie, Qiao Jiang, Zhiyuan Sang, Min Zheng, Zhenxin Li, Wei Liu, De’an Yang, Yao Zheng, Lichang Yin, Feng Hou, Xiao Yan, Ji Liang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-07-01
Series:Nature Communications
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-60950-8
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author Jiahuan Nie
Qiao Jiang
Zhiyuan Sang
Min Zheng
Zhenxin Li
Wei Liu
De’an Yang
Yao Zheng
Lichang Yin
Feng Hou
Xiao Yan
Ji Liang
author_facet Jiahuan Nie
Qiao Jiang
Zhiyuan Sang
Min Zheng
Zhenxin Li
Wei Liu
De’an Yang
Yao Zheng
Lichang Yin
Feng Hou
Xiao Yan
Ji Liang
author_sort Jiahuan Nie
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Ampere-level hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) electrosynthesis in brine and seawater via two-electron oxygen reduction reaction (2e− ORR) is promising, but limited by the slow water dissociation and insufficient protons in neutral media. Hence, we design a multifunctional Ni(OH)2 nanoplates anchored on carbon nanotubes (CNTs) as 2e− ORR catalyst towards H2O2 electrosynthesis, where Ni(OH)2 nanoplates accelerate water dissociation and proton transfer, resolving the critical proton shortage for H2O2 formation. Combined with exceptional chloride tolerance and suppressed hydrogen evolution, the catalyst achieves a high H2O2 yield of 141 mol g−1 h−1 (14.1 mmol cm−2 h−1) at 1 A cm−2 and a long operation time over 150 h at 200 mA cm−2 in 1 M NaCl solution with >80% H2O2 selectivity. In natural seawater, it achieves a Faraday efficiency over 70% at 100 mA cm−2. This work enables water purification/disinfection via simultaneous H2O2/active chlorine production, bridging electrosynthesis with environmental remediation.
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institution Kabale University
issn 2041-1723
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publishDate 2025-07-01
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spelling doaj-art-70b5c236ea1441d89900acd65d25e4a12025-08-20T04:01:35ZengNature PortfolioNature Communications2041-17232025-07-0116111110.1038/s41467-025-60950-8Accelerating water dissociation to achieve ampere-level hydrogen peroxide electrosynthesis in brine and seawaterJiahuan Nie0Qiao Jiang1Zhiyuan Sang2Min Zheng3Zhenxin Li4Wei Liu5De’an Yang6Yao Zheng7Lichang Yin8Feng Hou9Xiao Yan10Ji Liang11Key Laboratory of Advanced Ceramics and Machining Technology of Ministry of Education School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tianjin UniversityKey Laboratory of Advanced Ceramics and Machining Technology of Ministry of Education School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tianjin UniversityKey Laboratory of Advanced Ceramics and Machining Technology of Ministry of Education School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tianjin UniversitySchool of Chemical Engineering, The University of AdelaideKey Laboratory of Advanced Ceramics and Machining Technology of Ministry of Education School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tianjin UniversityKey Laboratory of Advanced Ceramics and Machining Technology of Ministry of Education School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tianjin UniversityKey Laboratory of Advanced Ceramics and Machining Technology of Ministry of Education School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tianjin UniversitySchool of Chemical Engineering, The University of AdelaideShenyang National Laboratory for Materials Science, Institute of Metal Research, Chinese Academy of ScienceKey Laboratory of Advanced Ceramics and Machining Technology of Ministry of Education School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tianjin UniversityInstitute of Technology for Future Industry, Shenzhen Institute of Information TechnologyKey Laboratory of Advanced Ceramics and Machining Technology of Ministry of Education School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tianjin UniversityAbstract Ampere-level hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) electrosynthesis in brine and seawater via two-electron oxygen reduction reaction (2e− ORR) is promising, but limited by the slow water dissociation and insufficient protons in neutral media. Hence, we design a multifunctional Ni(OH)2 nanoplates anchored on carbon nanotubes (CNTs) as 2e− ORR catalyst towards H2O2 electrosynthesis, where Ni(OH)2 nanoplates accelerate water dissociation and proton transfer, resolving the critical proton shortage for H2O2 formation. Combined with exceptional chloride tolerance and suppressed hydrogen evolution, the catalyst achieves a high H2O2 yield of 141 mol g−1 h−1 (14.1 mmol cm−2 h−1) at 1 A cm−2 and a long operation time over 150 h at 200 mA cm−2 in 1 M NaCl solution with >80% H2O2 selectivity. In natural seawater, it achieves a Faraday efficiency over 70% at 100 mA cm−2. This work enables water purification/disinfection via simultaneous H2O2/active chlorine production, bridging electrosynthesis with environmental remediation.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-60950-8
spellingShingle Jiahuan Nie
Qiao Jiang
Zhiyuan Sang
Min Zheng
Zhenxin Li
Wei Liu
De’an Yang
Yao Zheng
Lichang Yin
Feng Hou
Xiao Yan
Ji Liang
Accelerating water dissociation to achieve ampere-level hydrogen peroxide electrosynthesis in brine and seawater
Nature Communications
title Accelerating water dissociation to achieve ampere-level hydrogen peroxide electrosynthesis in brine and seawater
title_full Accelerating water dissociation to achieve ampere-level hydrogen peroxide electrosynthesis in brine and seawater
title_fullStr Accelerating water dissociation to achieve ampere-level hydrogen peroxide electrosynthesis in brine and seawater
title_full_unstemmed Accelerating water dissociation to achieve ampere-level hydrogen peroxide electrosynthesis in brine and seawater
title_short Accelerating water dissociation to achieve ampere-level hydrogen peroxide electrosynthesis in brine and seawater
title_sort accelerating water dissociation to achieve ampere level hydrogen peroxide electrosynthesis in brine and seawater
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-60950-8
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