Amorphous aluminum oxide clusters regulating oxygen reduction for photocatalytic H2O2 production over carbon nitride
摘要
The rational design of catalysts for photocatalytic H2O2 production remains a major challenge, as most photocatalysts for H2O2 production also tend to decompose H2O2. Here, density functional theory (DFT) calculations reveal that amorphous Al2O3 clusters anchored on crystalline carbon nitride (CCN) provide efficient oxygen adsorption sites, facilitate electron transfer, and stabilize key *OOH intermediates. Guided by these insights, CCN composites loaded with Al2O3 clusters (CCN-Al-x) were synthesized. Experimental studies confirm that the introduction of Al2O3 clusters enhances charge separation, suppresses H2O2 decomposition and improves the selectivity of the 2e− oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). The optimized CCN-Al-2 achieves an H2O2 production rate of 50.2 mmol g−1 h−1, with an apparent quantum yield (AQY) of 21.6% under 420 nm irradiation. This work highlights the critical impact of Al2O3 clusters modification on CCN, providing new opportunities for efficient and selective photocatalytic H2O2 production.
Graphical abstract