Harvesting the two-electron process for solar water splitting

Solar water splitting represents one of the attractive approaches for the conversion of sustainable solar energy to produce hydrogen. Compared with the conventional four-electron process with stoi-chiometric production of hydrogen and oxygen, which need to be subsequently separated via an additional energy-consuming pro-cess, a two-electron process with simultaneous production of hydrogen and hydrogen peroxide as both value-added products is more appealing and offers a practical route toward water splitting with spontaneous product separation. Herein, two-electron solar water splitting is introduced from both thermodynamic and kinetic angles, along with an assessment of critical issues involved in the process. Moreover, technoeconomic analysis as well as research op-portunities are presented with the aim to promote the development of this promising technology toward practical applications.

Automated summary

Solar water splitting is a promising approach for converting sustainable solar energy into hydrogen production. Compared to the conventional four-electron process for producing hydrogen and oxygen, a two-electron process with simultaneous production of hydrogen and hydrogen peroxide is more attractive as it allows for spontaneous product separation. This article introduces two-electron solar water splitting from both thermodynamic and kinetic perspectives and assesses the critical issues involved in this process. It also presents technoeconomic analysis and research opportunities to promote the development of this promising technology for practical applications.