Argonne Develops Hybrid Catalyst That Boosts Hydrogen Peroxide Output 5-Fold
Updated
Updated · Newswise · Aug 13
Argonne Develops Hybrid Catalyst That Boosts Hydrogen Peroxide Output 5-Fold
3 articles · Updated · Newswise · Aug 13
Summary
Argonne researchers built a 200-nanometer hybrid nanosheet that produced more than five times as much hydrogen peroxide as bismuth oxychloride alone.
The material pairs the semiconductor with purple membrane from archaea, using sunlight, air and water to drive proton and electron transfer at their interface under ambient conditions.
The design targets a costly, energy-intensive industrial process with a system made from inexpensive, abundant materials, according to the DOE-backed team.
In the same reaction, the catalyst also upgrades ethylene glycol into higher-value chemicals including glycolaldehyde, glyoxal and formic acid.
The work, published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, points to broader nano-bio applications in making fertilizer, fuels and other manufacturing chemicals.