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Abstract Photocatalytic water splitting into H 2 and H 2 O 2 presents a promising approach for converting solar energy into chemical energy. However, sluggish charge migration and unsatisfactory mass transfer restrict its activity. Herein, a photocatalytic system composed of a ZnO/Mo 2 C/polyacrylic acid hydrogel and carbonized wood, featuring surface non‐uniform pyroelectric field‐derived dielectrophoresis effect to offer a driving force for both charge and mass transfer is demonstrated. The chaotic motion of water vapor generated by the carbonized wood and the photothermal effect of Mo 2 C induce surface temperature oscillations and alter the polarization state of ZnO, resulting in a maximum 0.52 V surface non‐uniform pyroelectric field and stimulating a 108‐fold increase in dielectrophoresis force. This photocatalytic system demonstrates a 41% reduction in carrier migration barriers induced by non‐uniform pyroelectric field, alongside a local enrichment of intermediates and optimized H 2 diffusion via dielectrophoresis force, thus resulting in a record photocatalytic activity with H 2 and H 2 O 2 evolution rates of 755.5 and 626.3 µmol h −1 , respectively. A large‐area system (900 cm 2 ) is fabricated, yielding 2.5 L of H 2 and 103.05 mmol of H 2 O 2 per day under natural sunlight. This study presents promising design criteria for creating an efficient photocatalytic system focusing on energy harvesting and the production of high‐value‐added products.
Zhang et al. (Fri,) studied this question.