Electronic Metal‐Support Interactions Boost *OOH Intermediate Generation in Cu/In2Se3 for Electrochemical H2O2 Production

Abstract

AbstractTwo‐electron oxygen reduction reaction (2e− ORR) is a promising method for the synthesis of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). However, high energy barriers for the generation of key *OOH intermediates hinder the process of 2e− ORR. Herein, we prepared a copper‐supported indium selenide catalyst (Cu/In2Se3) to enhance the selectivity and yield of 2e− ORR by employing an electronic metal–support interactions (EMSIs) strategy. EMSIs‐induced charge rearrangement between metallic Cu and In2Se3 is conducive to *OOH intermediate generation, promoting H2O2 production. Theoretical investigations reveal that the inclusion of Cu significantly lowers the energy barrier of the 2e− ORR intermediate and impedes the 4e− ORR pathway, thus favoring the formation of H2O2. The concentration of H2O2 produced by Cu/In2Se3 is ~2 times than In2Se3, and Cu/In2Se3 shows promising applications in antibiotic degradation. This research presents a valuable approach for the future utilization of EMSIs in 2e− ORR.