Citation: Leping Xie, Caihong Liang, Huazhang Guo, Kang Wang, Shihao Zhang, Jiye Zhang, Yeng Ming Lam, Zheng Liu, Liang Wang. N-B-O-crosslinker-induced mechanochemical conversion of carbon phase unlocks efficient hydrogen peroxide electrosynthesis[J]. Chinese Chemical Letters, ;2026, 37(6): 111934. doi: 10.1016/j.cclet.2025.111934 shu

N-B-O-crosslinker-induced mechanochemical conversion of carbon phase unlocks efficient hydrogen peroxide electrosynthesis

Leping Xie ^{a, 1} ,
Caihong Liang ^{a, b, 1} ,
Huazhang Guo ^{a, 1} ,
Kang Wang ^a ,
Shihao Zhang ^a ,
Jiye Zhang ^c ,
Yeng Ming Lam ^{b, d, *,} ,
Zheng Liu ^{b, *,} ,
Liang Wang ^{a, *,}

a.
Institute of Nanochemistry and Nanobiology, School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China
b.
School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798, Singapore
c.
School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China
d.
Facility for Analysis, Characterisation, Testing and Simulation (FACTS), Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798, Singapore

ymlam@ntu.edu.sg

z.Liu@ntu.edu.sg

wangl@shu.edu.cn

Received Date: 17 July 2025
Revised Date: 27 September 2025
Accepted Date: 30 September 2025
Available Online: 30 September 2025

Figures(5)

Metal-free carbon materials are effective catalysts for electrochemical H₂O₂ synthesis. Here, we employ a hydrothermal-ball milling tandem strategy to convert nitrogen-doped carbon quantum dot (N-CQD) into N, B, O-codoped carbon nanosheets via mechanochemical crosslinking. The formation of covalent N–B–O linkages correlate with nanosheet thickness and boosts 2e⁻ ORR performance. The optimized CN-B-3 catalyst achieves 98.4% selectivity at 0.68 V vs. RHE, a low Tafel slope of 73.5 mV/dec, and a high ring current density of 0.46 mA/cm². It maintains 92.2% and 88.7% of initial ring and disk currents after 18 h, with exceptional long-term stability demonstrated over 50 h in both flow and solid-state electrolyte cells, yielding up to 213 mmol/L H₂O₂. DFT calculations reveal that covalent bonds formed by dehydration of two -OH groups (BO₂HN-, B(OH)₂-PyN- and B(OH)-PyN-) are key to nanosheet formation. Linkages between B and nitrogen atoms on the carbon ring favor H₂O₂ generation more than B–pyridinic-N connections. This study paves an avenue for converting 0D CQD to 2D carbon nanosheets and highlights the catalytic role of N–B–O linkers in sustainable H₂O₂ electrosynthesis.
- Carbon quantum dots,
- Phase conversion,
- Ball milling,
- Oxygen reduction reaction,
- Hydrogen peroxide
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