Hydrogen peroxide heterogeneous catalytic decomposition

Dowden and Reynolds observed that the rates of decomposition of hydrogen peroxide decreased from pure copper to copper-nickel alloys, thus suggesting that negative ion formation takes place in the heterogeneous catalytic reaction, in agreement with the Haber and Weiss mechanism based on catalysis in solution. 

In 1921, Bray published the first description of an oscillating reaction in the liquid phase, the catalytic decomposition of hydrogen peroxide under the influence of iodate ion. Amazingly, the initial response of the chemical community, instead of undertaking a normal study of the reaction, was to try to prove that the cause of the oscillations was some unknown heterogeneous impurity. 

Despite numerous studies on the catalytic decomposition of hydrogen peroxide with mixed heterogeneous catalysts the catalytic phenomenon needs further investigation. The exact nature of active centres and the role of metal ions present and their role as catalysts are interesting to study. 

Another line of catalytic work was started by Thenard (1818). He discovered hydrogen peroxide cind he who discovers H2O2 is apt also to discover its catalytic decomposition. Thenard did, and he investigated the matter carefully using both homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysts. 

The good chemical and physical stability of many MOPs, coupled with synthetic diversity and potential for pore size control, bodes well for applications in heterogeneous catalysis. For example, microporous phthalocyanine and porphyrin network polymers are used as heterogeneous catalysts for the oxidation of cyclohexene, the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide, and the oxidation of hydro-quinone [52]. Enhanced catalytic activity was observed with respect to low molar mass analogues. There is considerable scope for future development here -for example, the design of electrocatalytic materials using CMPs [11, 12, 19]. 

The rest potentials of platinum and other electrodes have also been examined in hydrogen peroxide solutions. On surfaces such as carbon, graphite, and lithiated nickel oxide, the open-current values are the thermodynamically reversible value for the 02-H02 couple in alkaline electrolytes or close to it. On these surfaces, the further reduction of peroxide [reaction (V)] and the overall four-electron reaction are both very inhibited. These surfaces also do not have much catalytic activity for the heterogeneous decomposition of the peroxide. On the other hand, with platinum the overall four-electron reduction is far less inhibited and the platinum surface is a reasonably effective catalyst for peroxide decomposition. Even so, the open-... 

Fernandez, J. L., C. Hurth, and A. J. Bard. 2005. Scanning electrochemical microscopy 54. Application to the study of heterogeneous catalytic reactions—Hydrogen peroxide decomposition. J. Phys. Chem. B 109 9532-9539. 

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