IMX Colloquium - Does H2O transmute to H2O2 or HO• + H• at the Air–Water Interface of Microscale Droplets / Bubbles?

Speaker: Prof. Himanshu Mishra, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Saudi Arabia Organiser: Prof. Gregor Jotzu, Prof. Esther Amstad &amp; Prof. Fabien Sorin <p>Recent reports claim that hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is spontaneously generated – without external energy input or catalyst – at the air–water interface of microdroplets1, bubbles2, and soap films3. Several mechanisms have been proposed to explain this phenomenon, including: (i) ultrahigh instantaneous electric fields at the air–water interface driving HO− à HO• + e− radicals from hydroxide ions; (ii) water’s comproportionation into H2O•+ and H2O•−; and (iii) partial dehydration of interfacial H+ and HO− followed by radical formation. In contrast, our laboratory experiments reveal that H2O2 f