Multivalent Au Nanoparticles Accelerated ZnIn2S4 Electron Transfer Kinetics for Sacrificial-Agent-Free of H2O2 Photosynthesis

Photocatalytic hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) production is a promising green and sustainable approach, but achieving high efficiency in pure water systems without the sacrificial agents remains a significant challenge. Here, gold (Au) nanoparticles with varying loadings are photodeposited onto the surface of ZnIn 2 S 4 (ZIS) nanoflowers to enhance photocatalytic H 2 O 2 production. The optimized Au 1000 -ZIS sample achieves an exceptional H 2 O 2 production rate of 906.13 µmol g −1 h −1 under pure water conditions, along with outstanding cycling stability. Mechanistic studies reveal that multivalent Au nanoparticles serve as efficient electron trapping sites, thereby significantly enhancing the spatial separation of photogenerated charge carriers and facilitating rapid charge transfer. This enhanced charge transfer kinetics facilitates H 2 O 2 photosynthesis through a dual-channel process (2-electron oxygen reduction and water oxidation) without any additional sacrificial agent. This study enhances the understanding of the critical role of Au as a cocatalyst in photocatalytic processes and presents a promising strategy for sustainable and efficient H 2 O 2 production. Graphical Multivalent Au nanoparticles loaded onto ZnIn 2 S 4 nanoflowers have been constructed to effective H 2 O 2 photosynthesis from pure water without sacrificial agents, in which Au cocatalysts act as an electron trap, boosting accelerated electron transfer kinetics and enabling a dual-channel oxygen reduction reaction/water oxidation mechanism, achieving a high yield of 906.13 µmol g −1 h −1 .