Microdroplet Interfacial Electric Field Triggers Hydroxyl Radical Coupling Toward Efficient H 2 O 2 Photosynthesis

ABSTRACT The two‐electron water oxidation reaction (2e − WOR) via ·OH coupling offers a direct route for H 2 O 2 photosynthesis, but conventional bulk systems remain rigidly limited by high thermodynamic barriers, short‐lived ·OH, and disordered H‐bond networks. Inspired by the potential of reaction microenvironments to drive thermodynamically unfavorable pathways, we developed a microdroplet photocatalytic platform using hydrophilic nitrogen‐rich COFs (Tp‐DAPd and Tp‐DAPm), achieving H 2 O 2 photosynthesis rates of 11.12 and 12.15 mmol·L −1 ·g −1 , with 11.6‐ and 7.9‐fold enhancements over their bulk counterparts, respectively. Product‐labeling fluorescence imaging microscopy (PLFIM) at the single‐microdroplet scale visualized size‐dependent acceleration and inward expansion of the interfacial reactive zone. Multiscale mechanistic investigations reveal that the intrinsic microdroplet interfacial electric field actively regulates the 2e − WOR process by restructuring the H‐bond network into a low‐entropy state, stabilizing partially solvated ·OH, and inducing a favorable trans‐gauche configuration. These effects work together to create a unique microenvironment that promotes water dissociation and ·OH coupling, thereby lowering the thermodynamic barrier for 2e − WOR under operational conditions. This work represents a microenvironment‐oriented strategy to overcome intrinsic thermodynamic limitations and inspires new strategies for the rational design of microdroplet‐assisted photosynthetic systems.

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Publication Details

Journal
Angewandte Chemie International Edition
Published
2026-08-25
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.9181115
Primary Topic
Advanced battery technologies research
Type
article
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article

Microdroplet Interfacial Electric Field Triggers Hydroxyl Radical Coupling Toward Efficient H 2 O 2 Photosynthesis

Qile Fang, Yi Shen, Shuang Song, Yanchi Yao et al.
Angewandte Chemie International Edition
Advanced battery technologies research
article

Microdroplet Interfacial Electric Field Triggers Hydroxyl Radical Coupling Toward Efficient H 2 O 2 Photosynthesis

Qile Fang, Yi Shen, Shuang Song, Yanchi Yao, Chao Zhu, Baoliang Chen
article en

Abstract

ABSTRACT The two‐electron water oxidation reaction (2e − WOR) via ·OH coupling offers a direct route for H 2 O 2 photosynthesis, but conventional bulk systems remain rigidly limited by high thermodynamic barriers, short‐lived ·OH, and disordered H‐bond networks. Inspired by the potential of reaction microenvironments to drive thermodynamically unfavorable pathways, we developed a microdroplet photocatalytic platform using hydrophilic nitrogen‐rich COFs (Tp‐DAPd and Tp‐DAPm), achieving H 2 O 2 photosynthesis rates of 11.12 and 12.15 mmol·L −1 ·g −1 , with 11.6‐ and 7.9‐fold enhancements over their bulk counterparts, respectively. Product‐labeling fluorescence imaging microscopy (PLFIM) at the single‐microdroplet scale visualized size‐dependent acceleration and inward expansion of the interfacial reactive zone. Multiscale mechanistic investigations reveal that the intrinsic microdroplet interfacial electric field actively regulates the 2e − WOR process by restructuring the H‐bond network into a low‐entropy state, stabilizing partially solvated ·OH, and inducing a favorable trans‐gauche configuration. These effects work together to create a unique microenvironment that promotes water dissociation and ·OH coupling, thereby lowering the thermodynamic barrier for 2e − WOR under operational conditions. This work represents a microenvironment‐oriented strategy to overcome intrinsic thermodynamic limitations and inspires new strategies for the rational design of microdroplet‐assisted photosynthetic systems.

Angewandte Chemie International Edition
Shaoxing University (CN), State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering (CN), Zhuhai Institute of Advanced Technology (CN), Zhejiang University of Technology (CN), Zhejiang University (CN)
Clean water and sanitation
Openalex Percentile: Top 18%
Advanced battery technologies research
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