Synthesis of {111} Facet-Exposed MgO with Surface Oxygen Vacancies for Reactive Oxygen Species Generation in the Dark

Seeking a simple and moderate route to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) for antibiosis is of great interest and challenge. This work demonstrates that molecule transition and electron rearrangement processes can directly occur only through chemisorption interaction between the adsorbed O2 and high-energy {111} facet-exposed MgO with abundant surface oxygen vacancies (SOVs), hence producing singlet oxygen and superoxide anion radicals without light irradiation. These ROS were confirmed by electron paramagnetic resonance, in situ Raman, and scavenger experiments. Furthermore, heat plays a crucial role for the electron transfer process to accelerate the formation of ·O2–, which is verified by temperature kinetic experiments of nitro blue tetrazolium reduction in the dark. Therefore, the presence of oxygen vacancy can be considered as an intensification of the activation process. The designed MgO is acquired in one step via constructing a reduction atmosphere during the combustion reaction process, which has an ability similar to that of noble metal Pd to activate molecular oxygen and can be used as an effective bacteriocide in the dark.