Mo-based MXenes as highly selective two-electron oxygen reduction catalysts for H2O2 production.

Hydrogen peroxide production through the electrochemical two-electron oxygen reduction presents a compelling alternative to the anthraquinone process due to the cheap starting materials and low operating temperature and pressure. Transition metal species featuring with multi-active sites, offer high electrochemical activity and selectivity. MXenes, distinguished by excellent electrical conductivity and the two-dimensional structure facilitating smooth ion transportation, further enhance the prospects of this production approach. In this study, three Mo-based MXenes were synthesized: Mo 2 TiC 2 F x , Mo 2 Ti 2 C 3 F x and Mo 2 CF x. Among these, Mo 2 TiC 2 F x emerged as the most promising catalyst for 2e−ORR, achieving a remarkable H 2 O 2 yield of up to 0.54 mol·g cat −1·h−1. Moreover, it also exhibits a high H 2 O 2 selectivity ranging from 81.3 % at 0.2 V to 94.1 % at 0.6 V vs. RHE, coupled with an impressive faradaic efficiency of 76.4 % at 0.4 V using H-cell. Further analysis indicates that the superior 2e−ORR performance can be attributed to the presence of metallic Mo on the surface of Mo 2 TiC 2 F x. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]