Electron Redistribution in Iridium–Iron Dual-Metal-Atom Active Sites Enables Synergistic Enhancement for H₂O₂ Decomposition

Abstract

Developing efficient heterogeneous H 2 O 2 decomposition catalysts under neutral conditions is of great importance in many fields such as clinical therapy, sewage treatment, and semiconductor manufacturing but still suffers from low intrinsic activity and ambiguous mechanism understanding. Herein, we constructed activated carbon supported with an Ir−Fe dual-metal-atom active sites catalyst (IrFe-AC) by using a facile method based on a pulsed laser. The electron redistribution in Ir−Fe dual-metal-atom active sites leads to the formation of double reductive metal active sites, which can strengthen the metal−H 2 O 2 interaction and boost the H 2 O 2 decomposition performance of Ir−Fe dual-metal-atom active sites. Ir−Fe dual-metal-atom active sites show a high second-order reaction rate constant of 3.53 × 10 6 M −1 •min −1 , which is ∼10 6 times higher than that of Fe 3 O 4 . IrFe-AC is effective in removing excess intracellular reactive oxygen species, protecting DNA, and reducing inflammation under oxidative stress, indicating its therapeutic potential against oxidative stress-related diseases. This study could advance the mechanism understanding of H 2 O 2 decomposition by heterogeneous catalysts and provide guidance for the rational design of high-performance catalysts for H 2 O 2 decomposition.

Design of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) coated MnO2 nanoparticles for thermally regulated catalytic decomposition of H2O2

“…The catalytic decomposition of H 2 O 2 holds immense importance in laboratory chemical reactions due to its ability to serve as a controlled source of oxygen. 3,4 Common catalysts for this purpose include transition metal ions, such as manganese (Mn), iron (Fe), and palladium (Pd). 5–8 The controlled release of oxygen in chemical reactions is valuable for enhancing reaction rates and promoting specific pathways, making catalytic decomposition a key aspect of numerous chemical and biochemical processes such as oxidation reactions and the synthesis of organic compounds.…”