Interface Interaction Enhanced Piezo‐Catalytic Hydrogen Peroxide Generation via One‐Electron Water Oxidation

Abstract

AbstractPiezo‐catalysis, which is possible to utilize natural mechanical energy, is an ideal technology for synthesizing hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) but is still challenging. Herein, C‐layer coated ZnO (C‐ZnO) with modulated electronic structure is constructed for piezo‐catalytic H2O2 generation. The C‐layer not only provides more active sites but also induces higher piezo‐response to mechanical stimuli. As a result, the optimized C‐ZnO exhibits ultrahigh piezocatalytic activity for H2O2 yield with a rate of 294 µM h−1 in pure water. Theoretical calculation demonstrates that the interaction at the interface induces charge redistribution, leading to the hole accumulation on the surface, thus promoting one‐electron water oxidation. In addition, the C‐ZnO exhibits excellent piezo‐catalytic performance for the degradation of different pollutants. This study not only provides a promising way (utilization of mechanical energy) for efficient H2O2 production in pure water but also opens a new avenue for designing highly active piezo‐catalytic systems for pollutants degradation.