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Published on: December 6, 2021
Biomass-Derived Amorphous Carbon with Intrinsic Nitrogen Doping for Hydrogen Peroxide Electrosynthesis
Fellipe Dos Santos Pereira1, Victor Magno Paiva1, Agnes Candido Teixeira2
1Department of Inorganic Chemistry, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Avenida Athos da Silveira Ramos, 149, Cidade Universitária, Rio de Janeiro 21941-909, Brazil.
Pumpkin seed biomass yields amorphous carbon for selective two-electron oxygen reduction (2e- ORR) to hydrogen peroxide. This sustainable electrocatalyst shows performance comparable to commercial carbon, offering a low-cost, waste-valorization approach.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Electrochemistry
- Green Chemistry
Background:
- Developing efficient electrocatalysts for the two-electron oxygen reduction reaction (2e- ORR) is crucial for sustainable hydrogen peroxide production.
- Conventional electrocatalysts often rely on expensive materials or complex synthesis methods.
- Valorizing biomass waste into functional materials presents a promising avenue for cost-effective and environmentally friendly catalysis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To synthesize amorphous carbon from pumpkin seed biomass as a coproduct for electrocatalytic applications.
- To investigate the potential of this biomass-derived carbon as an electrocatalyst for the selective 2e- ORR toward hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) production.
- To evaluate the stability, selectivity, and efficiency of the synthesized electrocatalyst compared to commercial standards.
Main Methods:
- Amorphous carbon synthesis from pumpkin seed biomass via a carbon quantum dot preparation route.
- Material characterization using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), N2 adsorption, and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS).
- Electrochemical evaluation using rotating disk electrode (RDE) and rotating ring-disk electrode (RRDE) techniques, including chronoamperometry.
Main Results:
- Pumpkin seed-derived amorphous carbon exhibited irregular morphology and low porosity (14.2 m2 g-1).
- XPS confirmed oxygenated functionalities and ~1% endogenous nitrogen self-doping.
- Electrochemical tests showed an onset potential of 0.738 V vs RHE, an electron transfer number close to 2, and high H2O2 yield (~91.8%) with excellent stability.
Conclusions:
- Pumpkin seed-derived amorphous carbon is a sustainable, low-cost electrocatalyst for selective 2e- ORR.
- The material demonstrates comparable selectivity and stability to commercial carbon catalysts.
- This waste-valorization strategy offers a viable pathway for decentralized hydrogen peroxide production.
