Defective Materials as a Gift for Hydrogen Peroxide Production Through Piezo‐Photocatalysis

Piezo‐photocatalysis on defective materials is of general interest in this current decade since the capability of coupling light with external force like ultrasound to enhance the production of hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) via direct and in‐direct generation pathways. In this feature, we would like to introduce some of our key research on this area, focusing on current discoveries from our group and others to demonstrate the potential of piezo‐photocatalysis compared to electrocatalysis or thermocatalysis. To increase catalytic performance, by coupling light with ultrasound, it is shown that enhanced performance would originate from lowering the activation barrier. Moreover, the less‐negative activation entropy from piezo‐photocatalysis compared to its photo‐counterpart would suggest the less poisoning active sites when ultrasonic wave was introduced to the system, in which more free sites are frequently generated to perform catalytic reactions. Furthermore, on defective surfaces, the rate‐limiting step on oxygen adsorption would be overcome and the rapid charge transfer contributes to the formation of oxygenic radicals, finally yielding (H 2 O 2 ). Furthermore, we also provide our viewpoints on successes and challenges, which would help guide scientists to push the fundamental understanding in this research area and the new kind of catalytic technologies become feasible on the industrial scale.