Carbon-based electrocatalysts for selective two-electron oxygen reduction

Abstract Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is an essential chemical with broad industrial applications, yet its conventional production via the energy-intensive anthraquinone process poses significant environmental and economic challenges. The electrocatalytic two-electron oxygen reduction reaction (2e– ORR) offers a sustainable and decentralized alternative for H2O2 synthesis. Carbon-based materials have emerged as highly promising electrocatalysts due to their tunable electronic structures, diverse morphologies, and cost-effectiveness. This review comprehensively summarizes recent advances in the design and development of carbon-based electrocatalysts for selective H2O2 production via 2e– ORR. Key strategies include heteroatom doping, defect engineering, hybridization control, and morphological optimization for metal-free carbon catalysts, as well as the rational design of carbon-supported noble/non-noble metal catalysts, single-atom catalysts, and framework-derived materials. The roles of critical intermediates, local coordination environments, and mass transfer properties in enhancing selectivity and activity are discussed. Finally, challenges and future directions are outlined, emphasizing the potential of carbon-based electrocatalysts to enable green, efficient, and scalable H2O2 electrosynthesis.