Janus-style catalyst turns seawater into two valuable chemicals at once

Schematic of the Cu-HITP@Co-HHTP Janus heterostructure. The positively charged Cu-HITP core (yellow) attracts chloride ions (Cl⁻, green) to drive the chlorine evolution reaction (CER) at the anode, while the negatively charged Co-HHTP shell (blue) repels

GA, UNITED STATES, September 24, 2026 / EINPresswire.com / -- Seawater covers 97% of Earth’s water but remains largely untapped as a chemical feedstock. Now, researchers have developed a catalyst that turns seawater into two valuable products at the same time: hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), a versatile bleaching and disinfecting agent, and active chlorine, a widely used water treatment chemical. The catalyst, built from two conductive metal-organic frameworks joined together, uses oxygen from the air and chloride ions naturally present in seawater to drive both reactions simultaneously. This approach offers a more sustainable and energy-efficient route to producing these industrial chemicals without relying on freshwater or complex separation processes.