Chemistry - A European Journal· 2026Q1· Review
Solar‐Driven Photocatalytic H 2 O 2 Production: Mechanistic Foundations, Catalyst Design, Performance Benchmarking, and Sustainable Applications
- 0citations
- Q1SCImago
- 2026year
Short summary
Solar photocatalysis can produce hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) using water, oxygen, and sunlight, offering a sustainable alternative to the energy-intensive anthraquinone process.
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Key points
- Solar photocatalysis offers a decentralized, ambient-condition method for H 2 O 2 synthesis, contrasting with the energy-intensive industrial anthraquinone process.
- Key reaction mechanisms involve two-electron oxygen reduction (2e − ORR) and two-electron water oxidation (2e − WOR).
- Catalyst design across semiconductors, g-C 3 N 4 , COFs, and heterojunctions is governed by electronic and structural properties influencing O 2 adsorption, intermediate stabilization, and selective conversion.
- Performance evaluation requires careful consideration of the water matrix, donor use, O 2 supply, illumination, normalization, and analytical methods.
- Central challenges for practical application include mechanistic verification, long-term stability, mass transfer, and transparent reporting.
AI-generated from the title and abstract; the full text is not read.
Abstract
ABSTRACT Hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) is a clean oxidant, disinfectant, and candidate liquid energy carrier, yet its industrial manufacture remains dominated by the energy‐intensive anthraquinone process. Solar photocatalytic H 2 O 2 synthesis offers a decentralized alternative that could combine water, molecular oxygen, and sunlight under ambient conditions. The field now spans inorganic semiconductors, graphitic carbon nitride (g‐C 3 N 4 ), covalent organic frameworks (COFs), heterojunctions, and other porous frameworks. This review connects reaction mechanisms, catalyst design, performance testing, and emerging applications across these major platforms. We examine the two‐electron oxygen reduction reaction (2e − ORR), two‐electron water oxidation reaction (2e − WOR), and dual‐channel photosynthesis. We then assess how intrinsic electronic and structural properties govern O 2 adsorption, intermediate stabilization, proton‐coupled electron transfer, selective two‐electron conversion, product release, and H 2 O 2 loss. Performance is interpreted together with the water matrix, donor use, O 2 supply, illumination, normalization basis, and analytical method. Finally, we consider collected H 2 O 2 production, in situ utilization, coupled synthesis, and multiscale optimization from molecular sites to reactors. Mechanistic verification, long‐term stability, mass transfer, and transparent reporting remain the central challenges for practical solar H 2 O 2 production.
The authors' abstract, as published at the source. Chemistry - A European Journal, 2026 · DOI ↗
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Field: Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment
Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the EnvironmentEnergy