Synthesis and characterization of Sb2O3: a stable electrocatalyst for efficient H2O2 production and accumulation and effective degradation of dyes

Abstract

Hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) is an important and green chemical. The production of H₂O₂ based on the electrocatalytic water oxidation reaction is one of the most promising strategies. Nevertheless, the efficient generation and accumulation of H₂O₂ during the oxidation process is challenging and crucial for the practical application of this technology. Here, antimony trioxide (Sb₂O₃) thin films are synthesized using a facile drop-casting method and utilized as electrocatalysts to produce H₂O₂. Typically, the Sb₂O₃ film shows a H₂O₂ generation rate of ∼0.26 μmol cm⁻² min⁻¹ and a faradaic efficiency of ∼21.5% at 3.08 V vs. RHE for the first 5 minutes of reaction. It is worth mentioning that the Sb₂O₃ film exhibits superior catalytic stability and H₂O₂ accumulation ability, and that the concentration of H₂O₂ reaches ∼105 ppm after 6 hours chronoamperometry test in a 30 mL electrolyte with a 3 cm² reaction area. Furthermore, the H₂O₂ produced onsite by Sb₂O₃ is able to effectively degrade methylene blue and rhodamine B.