Electrochemical production of hydrogen peroxide using nitrogen-doped carbon catalysts

Overview

This solution offers an electrochemical method for producing hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) with tunable concentration using a PEM fuel cell-type reactor. The technology targets the germ-killing and disinfection market by enabling on-site, controllable synthesis of H2O2, avoiding the costs and safety issues associated with transporting concentrated commercial H2O2. The approach leverages nitrogen-containing nanostructured carbon (CNx) as a selective electrocatalyst for the two-electron oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), which directly yields H2O2 as the desired product rather than fully reducing oxygen to water.

Technical specifications

Core technology:

• Electrochemical synthesis of H2O2 via two-electron ORR in a PEM fuel cell-type reactor configuration
• Nitrogen-containing nanostructured carbon (CNx) serves as the selective electrocatalyst for H2O2 production
• Tunable H2O2 concentration by adjusting operating conditions

Key findings from validation:

• RRDE experiments in acidic electrolyte demonstrated that CNx is more selective for H2O2 production than Pt-doped Vulcan carbon (Pt/VC) at lower catalyst loadings
• H2O2 selectivity increases as catalyst loading (electrode thickness) decreases, indicating that thinner catalyst layers favor the two-electron pathway
• Catalyst loadings tested ranged from 142 to 1420 μg/cm²

Planned characterization approaches:

• Operando attenuated total reflection infrared (ATR-IR) spectroscopy
• Operando Raman spectroscopy
• X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS)
• These techniques aim to identify active sites responsible for the two-electron ORR pathway versus the four-electron pathway that produces water

Technology readiness level

The technology is at an early-to-mid stage of development. Initial half-cell validation using RRDE has confirmed the feasibility of using CNx catalysts for selective H2O2 production and established the relationship between catalyst loading and selectivity. Future work will focus on identifying the active sites governing the two-electron ORR pathway through operando spectroscopy, optimizing catalyst composition and operating conditions in half-cell setups, and eventually scaling toward full PEM fuel cell-type reactor operation. Additional development is needed before commercial deployment, including reactor optimization, long-term stability testing, and integration into practical germ-killing or disinfection systems.