Strong metal-support interaction (SMSI) modulates d-orbital centers to promote oxygen reduction reaction

Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) production through oxygen reduction mediated by semiconductor photocatalysts is a typical reaction for converting solar energy to chemical energy, in which the adsorption and activation of oxygen on the catalyst is the rate-controlling process. To improve the catalytic performance of the catalyst, attention must be paid to the charge transfer effect on molecular orbitals. Hence, carbon-nitrogen support structures have been developed, and Ag clusters can be stably anchored on carbon-nitrogen supports due to the strong metal-support interaction (SMSI). The effect of SMSI and the difference in work function contribute to the antibonding orbitals of active oxygen-accepting Ag atom d-orbital electrons being activated. The experimental results show that the formation of H2O2 follows two-electron transfer processes for oxygen reduction. The photoactivity of the system is 6410.7 mu mol g-1 h-1 and the photochemical conversion is 1.06%. These results provide a theoretical basis for further study of the effect of interfacial charge transfer on molecular orbitals.