Atomic Pt Embedded in BNC Nanotubes for Enhanced Electrochemical Ozone Production via an Oxygen Intermediate-Rich Local Environment

Environment-friendly electrochemical ozone production (EOP) is a promising route for in situ sterilization and discoloration applications. Herein, a Pt-SAs/BNC catalyst with Pt single atoms embedded into B/N codoped nanotubes is rationally designed and prepared. The process provides a local environment rich in oxygen intermediates and hence improves the EOP performance in neutral media by influencing the EOP thermodynamics and kinetics. The Pt-SAs/BNC catalyst exhibits excellent EOP performance with a Faraday efficiency of 21% at the current density of 50 mA cm–2, which is almost twice as much as that of commercial β-PbO2. Density functional theory calculations further reveal the synergistic effect between the B sites and the Pt single atom of the EOP mechanism. In addition, the Pt-SAs/BNC catalyst presented a significant performance in electrodegradation of various pesticides and antibiotics, indicating the potential environmental application capabilities of Pt-SAs/BNC.