Defective In <sub>2</sub> S <sub>3</sub> with Proton‐Enriched Interface Enable Sacrificial‐Agent‐Free Visible‐Light Photocatalytic H <sub>2</sub> O <sub>2</sub> Production

Abstract Photocatalytic oxygen reduction provides a sustainable route for hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) production, but its practical implementation is impeded by ineffective O 2 activation and sluggish protonation kinetics. Here, a synergistic strategy combining defect engineering and interfacial microenvironment modulation is introduced to break these bottlenecks. Specifically, sulfur‐vacancy (S V )‐rich indium sulfide (In 2 S 3 ) grafted with polyethyleneimine (PEI) achieves a remarkable H 2 O 2 yield of 194.0 µ m h −1 under visible‐light in pure water, ≈33.4 times higher than that of pristine In 2 S 3 (5.8 µ m h −1 ). Experimental and theoretical results reveal that S V ‐induced low‐coordination In sites act as Lewis acid centers to stabilize end‐on O 2 adsorption and facilitate the generation of the critical •O 2 − intermediates. Surface‐grafted PEI substantially reduces the energy barrier for protonation of * •O 2 − to * OOH intermediates via an effective proton transfer process, favoring H 2 O 2 synthesis. By decoupling and optimizing O 2 activation and protonation dynamics, this work establishes a mechanism‐driven paradigm for rational design of high‐performance photocatalysts.

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Publication Details

Journal
Advanced Functional Materials
Published
2025-08-14
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.202516500
Citations
3
Primary Topic
Organic and Molecular Conductors Research
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
1.28

Funders

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article

Defective In 2 S 3 with Proton‐Enriched Interface Enable Sacrificial‐Agent‐Free Visible‐Light Photocatalytic H 2 O 2 Production

3 citations
Advanced Functional Materials
Organic and Molecular Conductors Research
1.28
article

Defective In 2 S 3 with Proton‐Enriched Interface Enable Sacrificial‐Agent‐Free Visible‐Light Photocatalytic H 2 O 2 Production

article en
3 citations

Abstract

Abstract Photocatalytic oxygen reduction provides a sustainable route for hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) production, but its practical implementation is impeded by ineffective O 2 activation and sluggish protonation kinetics. Here, a synergistic strategy combining defect engineering and interfacial microenvironment modulation is introduced to break these bottlenecks. Specifically, sulfur‐vacancy (S V )‐rich indium sulfide (In 2 S 3 ) grafted with polyethyleneimine (PEI) achieves a remarkable H 2 O 2 yield of 194.0 µ m h −1 under visible‐light in pure water, ≈33.4 times higher than that of pristine In 2 S 3 (5.8 µ m h −1 ). Experimental and theoretical results reveal that S V ‐induced low‐coordination In sites act as Lewis acid centers to stabilize end‐on O 2 adsorption and facilitate the generation of the critical •O 2 − intermediates. Surface‐grafted PEI substantially reduces the energy barrier for protonation of * •O 2 − to * OOH intermediates via an effective proton transfer process, favoring H 2 O 2 synthesis. By decoupling and optimizing O 2 activation and protonation dynamics, this work establishes a mechanism‐driven paradigm for rational design of high‐performance photocatalysts.

Advanced Functional MaterialsVol. 36(8)
Nanyang Technological University (SG), State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse (CN)
National Natural Science Foundation of China, National Outstanding Youth Science Fund Project of National Natural Science Foundation of China
Responsible consumption and production
Openalex Percentile: Top 18%
Organic and Molecular Conductors Research
1.28
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