Electronic Metal-Support Interactions Boost *OOH Intermediate Generation in Cu/InSe for Electrochemical HO Production.

Two-electron oxygen reduction reaction (2e ORR) is a promising method for the synthesis of hydrogen peroxide (HO). However, high energy barriers for the generation of key *OOH intermediates hinder the process of 2e ORR. Herein, we prepared a copper-supported indium selenide catalyst (Cu/InSe) to enhance the selectivity and yield of 2e ORR by employing an electronic metal-support interactions (EMSIs) strategy. EMSIs-induced charge rearrangement between metallic Cu and InSe is conducive to *OOH intermediate generation, promoting HO production. Theoretical investigations reveal that the inclusion of Cu significantly lowers the energy barrier of the 2e ORR intermediate and impedes the 4e ORR pathway, thus favoring the formation of HO. The concentration of HO produced by Cu/InSe is ~2 times than InSe, and Cu/InSe shows promising applications in antibiotic degradation. This research presents a valuable approach for the future utilization of EMSIs in 2e ORR.