Dual-channel synthesis of H2O2via photoelectrocatalytic water oxidation and oxygen reduction over a TaON/Ta3N5/CuI/Cu foam electrode

Abstract

A novel type-II heterojunction TaON/Ta₃N₅/CuI powder is loaded on the surface of the Cu foam by electrophoresis assisted one-step calcination, which is used for the synthesis of H₂O₂ by photoelectrocatalysis (PEC). At an applied potential of 1.23 V vs. NHE, the yield of H₂O₂ on the TaON/Ta₃N₅/CuI/Cu electrode is 193.0 μmol L⁻¹ under a saturated O₂ atmosphere. The solar-to-chemical conversion efficiency (SCC) and apparent quantum efficiency (AQE) of the TaON/Ta₃N₅/CuI/Cu electrode are 0.09% and 21.6%, respectively. As the dominant radicals, electrons and holes are involved in the PEC synthesis of H₂O₂, whose pathways include a two-electron and a four-electron water oxidation reaction (WOR) and a two-electron oxygen reduction reaction (ORR).