Significant boosting effect of single atom Pt towards the ultrasonic generation of H2O2: A two-way catalytic mechanism

Single atom Pt was anchored on the surface of SiO2 (Pt1/SiO2) with the assistance of ionic liquid. It was found that Pt1(0.1 %)/SiO2 could catalyze to sonically generate 3027.1 µmol L−1 h−1 H2O2, being 25.2 folds and 11.6 folds of those from pure ultrasound and sonocatalytic processes of Ptn(0.1 %)/SiO2, respectively. It was also the maximum concentration of H2O2 generated by sonocatalysis so far. The significant boosting effect of Pt1 was attributed to the synergetic role of its two-way catalytic processes proved by isotope labeling and DFT calculation. Firstly, Pt1 catalyzed the sono-splitting of H2O to generate •OH as the precursor of H2O2 formation by increasing the adsorption energy of H2O; Secondly, it catalyzed the combination of O2 and •H to selectively generate •OOH as another precursor of H2O2 by one end-on type adsorption of O2 on Pt1. These findings provided a new way to enhance the ultrasonic generation of H2O2.