Synthesis method of hydrogen peroxide

Abstract

The invention discloses a method for synthesizing hydrogen peroxide, which comprises the following steps: placing water in a spark discharge area, ionizing the water to generate water free radical cation clusters, introducing argon into a discharge reaction cavity, reacting water free radical cations with argon to obtain a hydrogen peroxide product, and opening the cavity after the reaction is finished to collect hydrogen peroxide. By simulating an atmospheric discharge experiment, argon and water fully act to prepare hydrogen peroxide, a new thought is provided for exploring a possible path of a life origin, and the device has important scientific significance in exploring a material basis of the life origin.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the fields of chemical basis and origin of life, and in particular to a method for synthesizing hydrogen peroxide. Background Art

[0002] The origin of human life has long been a hotly debated topic in the scientific community. In the early 20th century, the "primordial soup" theory posited that life arose through chemical reactions, originating from a vast accumulation of organic matter in the oceans—a "primordial soup." Scientists have discovered mineral compositions and microbial fossils from a 3.2 billion-year-old high-energy coastal zone in ancient South African strata. This evidence suggests that the coastal environment at that time was partially oxidized, a state that may have provided suitable living conditions for the ancestors of early cyanobacteria. Cyanobacteria are among the earliest organisms to perform oxygenic photosynthesis, and their emergence marks the beginning of Earth's oxygen cycle. This discovery not only supports the hypothesis that hydrogen peroxide was a key oxidant on the early Earth but also further reveals the close connection between the origin of oxygen on Earth and the evolution of life, providing important clues for understanding the origin and evolution of life in extreme environments. Scientists He Hongping and others have discovered that when silicate minerals are subjected to mechanical forces such as ocean wave erosion, physical weathering, or meteorite impacts, the silicon-oxygen bonds in the minerals break, generating free radicals. These free radicals can react with water to generate active substances such as hydroxyl radicals and hydrogen peroxide. Hydrogen peroxide releases oxygen during the decomposition process, thereby gradually changing the redox state of the surrounding environment.

[0003] Water is a core player in life, operating throughout nearly all chemical processes and playing an indispensable role in diverse fields, including life sciences, daily life, and social production. For this reason, water research has always been a hot topic of intense interest for scientists worldwide. In recent years, research on the chemistry of gas-phase water radical cations has steadily gained traction, demonstrating its immense value in elucidating fundamental scientific questions such as the origin of life, aging, energy conversion, and chemical synthesis. For example, water radical cations play important roles in numerous key natural processes, such as proton transfer, hydrogen bond formation, cell damage, and atmospheric and interstellar chemistry. These discoveries have fueled the continued growth of research on water radical cations worldwide. Furthermore, water radical cations can serve as primary ions in mass spectrometry, significantly enhancing the sensitivity and selectivity of mass spectrometry detection. Their high reactivity also endows them with catalytic capabilities in chemical reactions, further expanding their value in scientific research and practical applications.

[0004] This study designed a novel reactor that simulates the ionization of water under electrical discharge and introduces inert argon gas to explore the generation of substances such as hydrogen peroxide, providing new insights into possible pathways to the origin of life. The study of the role of water radical cation reactions in the synthesis of essential substances for life has significant scientific value, providing key clues to uncovering the material basis of life's origins. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The present invention aims to provide a novel reaction for the rapid synthesis of hydrogen peroxide based on the reaction of water radical cations with argon gas, which could provide new insights into research related to the origin of life. The technical solutions of the present invention are as follows:

[0006] A method for synthesizing hydrogen peroxide comprises placing water in a discharge device to ionize water molecules to generate water radical cation clusters, and simultaneously introducing argon gas into the discharge device to react the water radical cations with the argon gas to obtain hydrogen peroxide molecules.

[0007] Furthermore, the discharge device is provided with an array plate and a water storage device, the array plate is connected to the positive electrode of the high-voltage source device, the water storage device is connected to the negative electrode of the high-voltage source device, and the discharge device is also provided with a gas source channel.

[0008] Furthermore, the amount of argon gas used is 8-12L.

[0009] Furthermore, the discharge voltage in the discharge reaction chamber device is 3-4 kV.

[0010] Furthermore, the array plate is provided with a plurality of discharge needles arranged in a grid configuration, and the size of the water storage device is 32.4×32.4×1.5 cm.

[0011] Furthermore, the discharge needles on the array plate are made of tungsten needles, the distance between the needle tip and the water surface is optimized to be between 10 and 20 mm, and the curvature radius of the needle tip is optimized to be between 0.01 and 0.1 mm.

[0012] Furthermore, the discharge device is also provided with detectors such as ultraviolet and mass spectrometer for detecting the product hydrogen peroxide.

[0013] Furthermore, the hydrogen peroxide detection color developer is N,N-diethyl-p-phenylenediamine-sulfate.

[0014] The present invention has the beneficial effect of utilizing a discharge reaction chamber to generate water molecules into water radical cation clusters. These water radical cation clusters then react with argon gas to produce hydrogen peroxide molecules. The present invention aims to provide a novel reaction for the rapid synthesis of hydrogen peroxide based on water radical cations and argon gas, which could provide new insights into research related to the origin of life. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] The advantages of the present invention will become apparent and readily understood from the following description of the embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0016] Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the structure of the hydrogen peroxide production device according to an embodiment of the present invention; wherein 1-discharge reaction chamber, 2-array plate, 3-water storage device, 4-high-voltage source device;

[0017] Figure 2 The mass spectra of hydrogen peroxide prepared by the reaction of water radical cations with argon gas are compared with those of standard hydrogen peroxide, where (a) is the standard mass spectrum and (b) is the sample mass spectrum;

[0018] Figure 3 This is the UV absorption spectrum of hydrogen peroxide prepared by the reaction of water free radical cations with argon gas and compared with standard hydrogen peroxide. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0019] This section will describe in detail the specific embodiments of the present invention. The preferred embodiments of the present invention are shown in the accompanying drawings. The purpose of the accompanying drawings is to supplement the description of the text part of the specification with graphics, so that people can intuitively and vividly understand each technical feature and the overall technical solution of the present invention, but it should not be understood as a limitation on the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0020] In the description of the present invention, it should be understood that descriptions involving orientations, such as up, down, front, back, left, right, etc., indicating orientations or positional relationships, are based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they cannot be understood as limitations on the present invention.

[0021] In the description of the present invention, "several" means one or more, "many" means more than two, "greater than," "less than," and "exceed" are understood to exclude the number itself, while "above," "below," and "within" are understood to include the number itself. The use of "first" and "second" in the description is solely for the purpose of distinguishing technical features and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance, implicitly specifying the number of the indicated technical features, or implicitly specifying the order of the indicated technical features.

[0022] In the description of the present invention, unless otherwise clearly defined, terms such as setting, installing, and connecting should be understood in a broad sense, and technicians in the relevant technical field can reasonably determine the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention based on the specific content of the technical solution.

[0023] See also Figure 1-Figure 3 The hydrogen peroxide preparation device used in the hydrogen peroxide synthesis method proposed by the present invention ( Figure 1 ), specifically including a discharge reaction chamber 1, a gas source channel array plate 2, a water storage device 3 and a high-voltage source device 4.

[0024] The discharge device is made of acrylic material in a rectangular shape, with a pressure gauge installed at one end of the side and connected to a gas source channel for providing argon gas.

[0025] The gas source channel is connected to a gas pipeline, and argon gas enters the discharge reaction chamber 1 through the gas pipeline. At the same time, the pressure gauge connected to the discharge reaction chamber 1 is observed to control the circulation of the argon gas.

[0026] The array device consists of 841 discharge needles (with a tip diameter of 60 μm) arranged in a 29×29 grid on the array plate 2. The discharge needles are made of tungsten. The array device is connected to the positive electrode of the high-voltage source device 4, forming the positive electrode area of the hydrogen peroxide preparation device. At the same time, a distance adjustment device is configured under the array plate 2 to adjust the distance between the needle tip and the water storage liquid level.

[0027] The water storage device 3 is a stainless steel water storage tank with a size of 32.4×32.4×1.5 cm. It is connected to the negative electrode of the high-voltage source device 4 to form the negative electrode region of the hydrogen peroxide preparation device.

[0028] The array device and water storage device are placed within the discharge reaction chamber 1, with a reaction space defined between the array plate 2 and the stainless steel water tank. The distance between the needle tip and the water level is optimized to be between 10 and 20 mm, and the radius of curvature of the needle tip is optimized to be between 0.01 and 0.1 mm. Preferably, the voltage of the high-voltage power supply is 3.6 kV.

[0029] Based on the above device, the method for preparing hydrogen peroxide includes:

[0030] Mechanical pumps are used at both ends of the gas pipeline to connect to the discharge reaction chamber 1, and the air in the discharge reaction chamber 1 is extracted. Argon gas is introduced into the discharge reaction chamber 1 through the gas source channel. The high-voltage power supply is turned on to apply high voltage. The array plate 2 and the water storage device 3 are connected to the positive electrode and the negative electrode respectively to form a closed current. The needle tip of the tungsten needle on the array plate 2 generates a spark discharge, ionizing water to form water free radical cation clusters. The formed water free radical cation clusters act in an argon environment to produce hydrogen peroxide molecules, which further form a hydrogen peroxide solution. The discharge reaction chamber 1 is opened for collection.

[0031] The aqueous hydrogen peroxide solution formed in the water storage device 3 is removed and collected by opening the discharge reaction chamber 1. Specifically, a high voltage (3.6 kV) is applied to the discharge reaction chamber, generating a spark discharge at the needle tip of the array plate 2. At room temperature and pressure (e.g., 25°C, 1 atmosphere) in an argon environment, the high-voltage spark discharge generates water radical cation clusters. These water radical cation clusters fully contact the argon gas and react to produce hydrogen peroxide molecules. The formed hydrogen peroxide molecules are condensed to produce the aqueous hydrogen peroxide solution, which is then removed and collected from the stainless steel water storage tank.

[0032] The following are several examples to verify the preparation results of the above hydrogen peroxide preparation method:

[0033] Example 1

[0034] At room temperature and pressure, argon gas (controlled to 10 L) was introduced into the chamber of the reaction device. 900 mL of water was added to a stainless steel water tank. A high voltage (3.6 kV) was applied to the discharge reaction chamber. A current was generated through a connecting line between the array plate and the stainless steel water tank. The reaction was allowed to proceed for 1 hour, generating hydrogen peroxide molecules in the discharge reaction chamber. The discharge reaction chamber was then opened to collect the generated hydrogen peroxide aqueous solution.

[0035] Example 2

[0036] At room temperature and pressure, argon gas (controlled to 10 L) was introduced into the chamber of the reaction device. 900 mL of water was added to a stainless steel water tank. A high voltage (3.6 kV) was applied to the discharge reaction chamber. A current was generated through a connecting circuit between the array plate and the stainless steel water tank. The reaction lasted for 2 hours, generating hydrogen peroxide molecules in the discharge chamber. The discharge reaction chamber was then opened to collect the generated hydrogen peroxide aqueous solution.

[0037] Example 3

[0038] At room temperature and pressure, argon gas (controlled to 10 L) was introduced into the chamber of the reaction device. 900 mL of water was added to a stainless steel water tank. A high voltage (3.6 kV) was applied to the discharge reaction chamber. A current was generated through a connecting circuit between the array plate and the stainless steel water tank. The reaction lasted for 3 hours, generating hydrogen peroxide molecules in the discharge chamber. The discharge reaction chamber was then opened to collect the generated hydrogen peroxide aqueous solution.

[0039] Test 1: The product of Example 3 was subjected to mass spectrometry and UV-visible spectroscopy analysis. The results are shown in Figure 2 Analyzing the mass spectrometry data, a hydrogen peroxide ion peak with a mass-to-charge ratio of m / z 34 was observed in the reaction solution. Comparing the newly generated hydrogen peroxide product ion m / z 34 with the mass spectrometry peak of the hydrogen peroxide standard indicated that hydrogen peroxide had formed in the reaction solution.

[0040] Test 2: The hydrogen peroxide sample was derivatized using the N,N-diethyl-p-phenylenediamine-sulfate method. After optimizing the derivatization method, the sample was detected using UV-VIS spectroscopy. The results are shown in Figure 3 The peak positions of the reaction solution and the hydrogen peroxide standard are the same, indicating that hydrogen peroxide has formed in the reaction solution. This is consistent with the experimental data from mass spectrometry.

[0041] In summary, according to the hydrogen peroxide synthesis method proposed in this embodiment, the entire synthesis process can be carried out at room temperature and pressure (referring to pressure), without the need for chemical catalysts, saving energy, and being green and pollution-free.

[0042] Throughout this specification, reference to terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "examples," "specific examples," or "some examples" means that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in conjunction with that embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In this specification, schematic representations of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in any one or more embodiments or examples.

[0043] The above-described embodiments merely illustrate several implementations of the present invention, and while their descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present invention. It should be noted that a person skilled in the art would be able to make numerous variations and improvements without departing from the spirit of the present invention, all of which fall within the scope of protection of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention shall be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A method for synthesizing hydrogen peroxide, characterized in that: Water is placed in a discharge device to ionize water molecules to generate water radical cation clusters. At the same time, argon gas is introduced into the discharge device to react with the water radical cations to obtain hydrogen peroxide molecules.

2. The method for synthesizing hydrogen peroxide according to claim 1, wherein: The discharge device is provided with an array plate and a water storage device. The array plate is connected to the positive electrode of the high-voltage source device, and the water storage device is connected to the negative electrode of the high-voltage source device. The discharge device is also provided with a gas source channel.

3. The method for synthesizing hydrogen peroxide according to claim 1, wherein The amount of argon used is 8-12L.

4. The method for synthesizing hydrogen peroxide according to claim 1, wherein The discharge voltage in the discharge device is 3-4 kV.

5. The method for synthesizing hydrogen peroxide according to claim 2, wherein the array plate is provided with a plurality of discharge needles in a grid configuration.

6. The method for synthesizing hydrogen peroxide according to claim 5, wherein: The discharge needle is made of tungsten needle material, the distance between the needle tip and the water surface is between 10 and 20 mm, and the curvature radius of the needle tip is between 0.01 and 0.1 mm.

7. The method for synthesizing hydrogen peroxide according to claim 1, wherein: The discharge reaction is also equipped with an ultraviolet spectrometer and a mass spectrometer for detecting the product hydrogen peroxide.

8. The method for synthesizing hydrogen peroxide according to claim 7, wherein: The colorimetric reagent for hydrogen peroxide detection is N,N-diethyl-p-phenylenediamine-sulfate.

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