A research team from Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool Universit (XJTLU) in Suzhou City, a joint venture between two universities in China and the UK, has recently published a new finding in the journal Energy Advances, introducing the modification of the materials used for hydrogen peroxide (H202) production.  

Hydrogen peroxide (H202) is seen as a promising environmentally friendly fuel for the future, as it can be made from water and oxygen using solar energy and a photocatalyst. It can also be stored as a liquid and therefore transported more safely than compressed hydrogen, another potential renewable fuel option. Despite the potential advantages, the commercial production of hydrogen peroxide faces many challenges, such as the safety risks and high energy-consuming. 

Dr Graham Dawson

The research team has focused on the combination of materials to improve the photocatalyst, which plays two roles – to absorb light and then utilize the solar energy for chemical reaction that converts water and oxygen to hydrogen peroxide, jobs that can’t be done well by a single material. 

XJTLU researchers managed to incorporate organic substances into the material niobate – a layered metal oxide – upon heating. This modification has showed increased photocatalysis and production of hydrogen peroxide.  

This marked the first such finding in the development of a stable photocatalyst for hydrogen peroxide and is an important progress in creating cleaner fuels for the future. It’s also hoped to promote the use of solar fuel as a viable option for large-scale energy use.  

Dr Graham Dawson, who led the study, says, “Our next steps will be to use this method – organic modification of layered metal oxides – and expand the range of materials tested and properties. We will also further investigate the modification process from a fundamental perspective to try and improve the long-term stability and large-scale production and use.” 

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