CuO Nanoparticle-Loaded TiO₂ Catalyst for High-Performance Photocatalytic Hydrogen Peroxide Generation

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Photocatalysis
• Green Chemistry

Background:

• Titanium dioxide (TiO2) is a stable, biocompatible photocatalyst but suffers from charge carrier recombination and poor selectivity in hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) production.
• The two-electron oxygen reduction reaction (2e- ORR) for H2O2 synthesis is inefficient with pristine TiO2.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an efficient CuO/TiO2 photocatalyst for enhanced hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) production.
• To investigate the role of CuO nanoparticles as cocatalysts in improving charge separation and reaction selectivity.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of CuO nanoparticles anchored on TiO2 surface.
• Photocatalytic evaluation of H2O2 production under irradiation.
• Characterization using femtosecond transient absorption spectra (Fs-TAS) and in situ spectroscopic analyses.

Main Results:

• The optimized CuO/TiO2 photocatalyst achieved a production rate of 19.48 mmol g-1 h-1, 162 times higher than pristine TiO2.
• Excellent stability was observed over 7 hours of continuous irradiation, with an apparent quantum yield (AQY) of 7.30% at 365 nm.
• Significant enhancement in photogenerated electron lifetime (5.8 times longer) confirmed improved charge separation and transfer.

Conclusions:

• CuO/TiO2 serves as a highly efficient and stable photocatalyst for sustainable H2O2 production.
• The strategy of anchoring CuO nanoparticles effectively promotes charge separation and facilitates the desired reaction pathways.
• This work presents a cost-effective approach for producing H2O2 using advanced photocatalytic materials.