Oxygen Vacancy\nBoosts the V₂O₅ Performance for the Electrochemical\nH₂O₂ Product

Abstract

On-site electrochemical hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) generation via the two-electron oxygen reduction reaction\n(2e^– ORR), as a cost-effective alternative to the\nanthraquinone\nprocess, relies on the exploitation of excellent activity and the\nstability catalyst. In this study, we reveal that by modulating the\noxygen vacancy (Ov) on V₂O₅ with the H₂ treatment, high activity and a selective oxygen reduction for H₂O₂ production can be obtained with the basic electrolyte,\nshowing a 92.32% selectivity within a wide range of potential. Combined\nspectroscopic results demonstrate that the enhanced performance of\nthe 2e^– ORR originates from the introduction of\nthe Ov, which adjusts the electron structure of V₂O₅. The DFT analysis reveals that the Ov improves the adsorption\nof the oxygen on V₂O₅ and optimizes the oxygen\nreaction path superior to H₂O₂. Moreover, the\nV₂O₅-300 catalyst presented an excellent performance\nin the electrodegradation of antibiotics, indicating the application\npotential for environmental protection. This work provides an insight\ninto the design of the metal oxides for effective H₂O₂ generation.