The evolution of photocatalytic H2O2 generation: from pure water to natural systems and beyond

Abstract

Photocatalytic hydrogen peroxide (PHP) production represents a sustainable approach that mimics photosynthesis using sunlight to generate H₂O₂ from water and oxygen. This review explores the intricate mechanisms of PHP and provides a critical assessment on the development of PHP in different systems, including pure water, natural water, microdroplets, and coupling systems. Furthermore, their potential applications in environmental remediation, biomedicine and the production of high-value chemicals are discussed. Moreover, the current limitations of PHP efficiency and stability, particularly in the pure water system, are summarized, and possible solutions to overcome these challenges are proposed as well. The objective of this paper is to present perspectives on improving the PHP efficiency and to advance the sustainable development of PHP technology.