Synthesis of InP quantum dot decorated Bi2WO6 microspheres for the efficient photocatalytic production of hydrogen peroxide in water

Most photocatalysts reported to date need sacrificial agents (ethanol or methanol) to quench h + and facilitate the reduction of O 2 to H 2 O 2 . This requirement increases the cost of H 2 O 2 production and hinders the advancement of photocatalytic technology. Exploring a novel photocatalyst without the sacrificial agents for photocatalytic production of H 2 O 2 remains a huge challenge. In this research, we designed Indium phosphide (InP) quantum dot (QDs)-decorated bismuth tungstate (Bi 2 WO 6 ) microspheres for the photocatalytic generation of H 2 O 2 without the use of any sacrificial agents. The photocatalytic efficiency of InP/Bi 2 WO 6 composites for H 2 O 2 production reached 17.45   mmol   g −1 h −1 , which is 90.8 times and 53.6 times greater than pure InP and Bi 2 WO 6 , respectively. Furthermore, InP/Bi 2 WO 6 composites demonstrated high photocatalytic H 2 O 2 production efficiency when used in industrial wastewater and tap water. In addition, in-situ photocatalytic H 2 O 2 synthesis was applied to actual coking wastewater for lowering chemical oxygen demand (COD) levels, and the removal rate was more than 60%. Remarkably, the degradation efficiency of acid orange 7 using the 3InP/Bi 2 WO 6 sample reached 99.9%. To the best of our knowledge, no other research has reported the use of InP QDs for the photocatalytic in-situ synthesis of H 2 O 2 in real water. This study provides valuable insights for the development of InP-based photocatalysts.