Sort:
Open Access Research Article Just Accepted
Engineering molecular-semiconductor interfaces via vacancy-triggered π–d coupling for H2O2 photosynthesis
Nano Research
Available online: 12 October 2026
Abstract PDF (14.9 MB) Collect
Downloads:9

Photocatalytic H2O2 production is limited by slow interfacial charge transfer and poorly controlled adsorption of oxygen intermediates, which reduce the selectivity of the two-electron oxygen reduction reaction. We prepared an oxygen-vacancy-rich In-TCPP@W18O49 heterointerface to investigate the role of π–d orbital coupling in oxygen reduction. Experiments and calculations show that oxygen vacancies enhance hybridization between the π states of In-TCPP and the W 5d states of W18O49. This interaction promotes interfacial charge redistribution and modifies the local electronic structure of surface W sites. The resulting electronic changes facilitate interfacial electron transfer and regulate the adsorption energies of *O2 and *OOH intermediates, favoring a selective two-electron pathway for H2O2 formation. The optimized In-TCPP@W18O49 produces H2O2 at 1045 μmol g-1 h-1 in pure water under ambient air, 10.7 times higher than W18O49, with a solar-to-chemical conversion efficiency of 1.66 %. These findings indicate how oxygen-vacancy-enhanced π–d coupling may influence oxygen reduction and provide insights into designing selective solar-driven oxygen reduction photocatalysts.

Total 1