Industrial-Level H2O2 Electrosynthesis via Defect-Induced Strain in Laser-Fabricated Nickel-Carbon Catalysts and Gas-Diffusion Electrodes

Industrial-level hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) electrosynthesis is a promising alternative for the energy-intensive anthraquinone process. However, during repeated H 2 O 2 synthesis under harsh electrochemical conditions, active species could be leached away, undergo compositional segregation, or suffer from reconstruction, resulting in a loss in catalytic activity and efficiency. Besides, typical powder-form catalysts inevitably limit their performance enhancement, owing to the large interface resistance and peeling-off of powder catalysts from electrodes. Addressing these, a fine nickel particle catalyst that is with high-density defects and embedded in thin carbon substrates, via a rapid ultraviolet laser treatment, is reported. The high-density defects (i.e., twin boundaries, vacancies, and dislocations) in the Ni particles induce subtle and strong strain, which optimizes electrocatalytic activity and prevents catalyst deactivation effectively. By fabricating the catalyst into a free-standing form, the electronic conductivity and durability of the catalytic electrode can be significantly improved, therefore achieving stable H 2 O 2 production at an industrial-level current density of 250 mA cm −2 over 100 h with a Faradaic Efficiency of over 90% and a high yield of 4.27 mmol cm −2 h −1 . These results provide a promising pathway for the industrial and large-scale H 2 O 2 electrosynthesis, and highlight the potential application of electro-synthesized H 2 O 2 , such as rapid dye degradation.