O2-Independent H2O2 Production via Water-Polymer Contact Electrification.

Abstract

Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), as a critical green chemical, has received immense attention in energy and environmental fields. The ability to produce H2O2 in earth-abundant water without relying on low solubility oxygen would be a sustainable and potentially economic process, applicable even to anaerobic microenvironments, such as groundwater treatment. However, the direct water to H2O2 process is currently hindered by low selectivity and low production rates. Herein, we report that poly(tetrafluoroethylene) (PTFE), a commonly used inert polymer, can act as an efficient triboelectric catalyst for H2O2 generation. For example, a high H2O2 production rate of 24.8 mmol gcat-1 h-1 at a dosage of 0.01 g/L PTFE was achieved under the condition of pure water, ambient atmosphere, and no sacrificial agents, which exceeds the performance of state-of-the-art aqueous H2O2 powder catalysts. Electron spin resonance and isotope experiments provide strong evidence that water-PTFE tribocatalysis can directly oxidize water to produce H2O2 under both anaerobic and aerobic conditions, albeit with different synthetic pathways. This study demonstrates a potential strategy for green and effective tribocatalytic H2O2 production that may be particularly useful toward environmental applications.