Advancing catalyst design for H₂O₂ electrosynthesis via oxygen reduction reaction

Abstract

The electrocatalytic reduction of O₂ presents a sustainable pathway for producing hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), characterized by green solvents, zero‑carbon emissions, on-site production, and environmentally friendliness. Developing catalysts that are highly selective, active, stable, and derived from low-cost, earth-abundant materials is crucial for advancing this technology. In recent years, a diverse range of such catalysts, including metal-free carbon materials, covalent organic frameworks, metal-site decorated carbon materials, metal-organic framework-based materials, and earth-abundant metal compounds, have shown promise in selectively producing H₂O₂ via the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). This review provides a comprehensive analysis of the underlying mechanisms in the electrochemical synthesis of H₂O₂ via ORR, highlighting the role of catalysts derived from abundant and inexpensive resources. Key factors such as microstructures, electrocatalytic performance, and strategies for tuning activities are systematically discussed, with a focus on regulating dopants, surficial functional groups, catalytic site configurations, phases, defects, and heterojunction hybridization. The challenges in material synthesis and optimization are thoroughly analyzed. Finally, the review highlights the remaining hurdles in H₂O₂ production via ORR and offers future directions for designing high-performance, low-cost electrocatalysts to enable sustainable and scalable H₂O₂ production.