Organic–Inorganic Hybrid Photocatalysts for Solar-Driven H₂O₂ Production: A Review

Solar-driven (or light-driven) production of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) from water (H₂O) and molecular oxygen (O₂) has recently received increasing attention as a green and sustainable alternative to conventional methods. However, the field of photocatalytic H₂O₂ production is still in its infancy, primarily because of limited H₂O₂ production efficiency. Over the past few years, a wide range of inorganic, organic, and organic–inorganic hybrid photocatalysts have been developed via diverse synthetic and modification strategies to increase the H₂O₂ yield. Among them, organic–inorganic hybrid photocatalysts have shown higher H₂O₂ production performance than single-component systems; at the same time, the advancements and challenges of these hybrid systems have not been comprehensively reviewed. Therefore, this review summarizes the advantages/limitations, recent progress, and potential challenges of organic–inorganic hybrid photocatalysts for H₂O₂ production. First, we elucidate the superiority of the photocatalytic H₂O₂ production over the conventional anthraquinone oxidation process. Then, we summarize the advantages and limitations of inorganic, organic, and organic–inorganic hybrid photocatalysts and discuss in detail the design, synthetic strategies, and photochemical properties of organic–inorganic hybrid photocatalysts. Finally, this review outlines the challenges and outlook for future research in this emerging area.