Recent advances in photocatalytic hydrogen peroxide production

Abstract

AbstractHydrogen peroxide (H2O2), an environmental‐friendly oxidant and renewable liquid fuel, has received wide attention in various research and industrial fields. Current industrial production of H2O2 relies on the anthraquinone method, which is hardly viewed as a sustainable and green process. Photocatalysis, harnessing solar energy as the driving force for redox reactions, provides a green and promising approach for H2O2 production. However, due to the poor ability of light absorption, fast recombination of carriers, and poor intrinsic activity of active sites of pristine photocatalysts, photocatalytic H2O2 production cannot provide great yield. Thus, great efforts have been dedicated to design efficient photocatalysts for photosynthesis of H2O2 in the past decades. In this review, we summarize significant progress in the development of advanced photocatalytic materials for light‐driven H2O2 production. Starting with a brief introduction on basic principles and advantages of photosynthesis of H2O2, the representative materials are classified and discussed in detail; finally, a brief outlook on addressing future challenges and opportunities of photocatalytic H2O2 production is proposed. This review aims to confirm current challenges and research developments in the photosynthesis of H2O2 and provide inspiration for the development of high‐efficiency photocatalysts for photocatalytic H2O2 production in the future.