1
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Xiong Y, Wang Y, Zhou J, Liu F, Hao F, Fan Z. Electrochemical Nitrate Reduction: Ammonia Synthesis and the Beyond. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2024; 36:e2304021. [PMID: 37294062 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202304021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2023] [Revised: 05/29/2023] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Natural nitrogen cycle has been severely disrupted by anthropogenic activities. The overuse of N-containing fertilizers induces the increase of nitrate level in surface and ground waters, and substantial emission of nitrogen oxides causes heavy air pollution. Nitrogen gas, as the main component of air, has been used for mass ammonia production for over a century, providing enough nutrition for agriculture to support world population increase. In the last decade, researchers have made great efforts to develop ammonia processes under ambient conditions to combat the intensive energy consumption and high carbon emission associated with the Haber-Bosch process. Among different techniques, electrochemical nitrate reduction reaction (NO3RR) can achieve nitrate removal and ammonia generation simultaneously using renewable electricity as the power, and there is an exponential growth of studies in this research direction. Here, a timely and comprehensive review on the important progresses of electrochemical NO3RR, covering the rational design of electrocatalysts, emerging CN coupling reactions, and advanced energy conversion and storage systems is provided. Moreover, future perspectives are proposed to accelerate the industrialized NH3 production and green synthesis of chemicals, leading to a sustainable nitrogen cycle via prosperous N-based electrochemistry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuecheng Xiong
- Department of Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, 999077, P. R. China
- Hong Kong Branch of National Precious Metals Material Engineering Research Center (NPMM), City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, 999077, P. R. China
| | - Yunhao Wang
- Department of Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, 999077, P. R. China
| | - Jingwen Zhou
- Department of Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, 999077, P. R. China
- Hong Kong Branch of National Precious Metals Material Engineering Research Center (NPMM), City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, 999077, P. R. China
| | - Fu Liu
- Department of Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, 999077, P. R. China
| | - Fengkun Hao
- Department of Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, 999077, P. R. China
| | - Zhanxi Fan
- Department of Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, 999077, P. R. China
- Hong Kong Branch of National Precious Metals Material Engineering Research Center (NPMM), City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, 999077, P. R. China
- City University of Hong Kong Shenzhen Research Institute, Shenzhen, 518057, P. R. China
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2
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Chen Y, Liu Y, Hu S, Wu D, Zhang M, Cheng Z. Exploration of a novel electrochemical CN coupling process: Urea synthesis from direct air carbon capture with nitrate wastewater. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 913:169722. [PMID: 38163593 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.169722] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2023] [Revised: 12/25/2023] [Accepted: 12/25/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
Direct air capture (DAC) can be used to decrease the CO2 concentration in the atmosphere, but this requires substantial energy consumption. If residual waste carbon (in the form of bicarbonate solution) from DAC can be directly reused, it might present a novel method for overcoming the aforementioned challenges. Electrochemical CN coupling methods for synthesizing urea have garnered considerable attention for waste carbon utilization, but the carbon source is high-purity CO2. No research has been conducted regarding the application of bicarbonate solution as the carbon source. This study proposes a proof-of-concept electrochemical CN coupling process for synthesizing urea using bicarbonate solution from DAC as the carbon source and nitrate from wastewater as the nitrogen source. These results confirmed the feasibility of synthesizing urea using a three-electrode system employing TF and CuInS2/TF as the working electrodes via potentiostatic electrolysis. Under the optimal conditions (initial pH 5.0 and applied potential of -1.3 V vs. Ag/AgCl), the urea yield after 2 h of electrolysis reached 3017.2 μg h-1 mgcat.-1 and an average Faradaic efficiency of 19.6 %. The in-situ attenuated total reflection surface-enhanced infrared absorption spectroscopy indicated a gradual increase in the intensity of the -CONH bond signal on the surface of the CuInS2/TF electrode as the reaction progressed. This implied that this bond may be a key chemical group in this process. The density functional theory calculations demonstrated that *CONH was a pivotal intermediate during CN coupling, and a two-step CN coupling reaction path was proposed. *NH + *CO primarily transformed into *CONH, followed by the conversion reaction of *CONH + *NO to *NOCONH2. This study offers a groundbreaking approach for waste carbon utilization from DAC and holds the potential to furnish technical underpinnings for advancing electrochemical CN coupling methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Chen
- Chongqing Institute of Green and Intelligent Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing 400714, China; School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chongqing University of Technology, Chongqing 400054, China
| | - Yuan Liu
- Chongqing Institute of Green and Intelligent Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing 400714, China; Faculty of Geosciences and Environmental Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 611756, Sichuan, China.
| | - Shujie Hu
- Chongqing Institute of Green and Intelligent Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing 400714, China
| | - Di Wu
- Chongqing Institute of Green and Intelligent Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing 400714, China
| | - Mengyue Zhang
- Chongqing Institute of Green and Intelligent Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chongqing 400714, China
| | - Zhiliang Cheng
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chongqing University of Technology, Chongqing 400054, China.
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3
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Li Y, Zheng S, Liu H, Xiong Q, Yi H, Yang H, Mei Z, Zhao Q, Yin ZW, Huang M, Lin Y, Lai W, Dou SX, Pan F, Li S. Sequential co-reduction of nitrate and carbon dioxide enables selective urea electrosynthesis. Nat Commun 2024; 15:176. [PMID: 38167809 PMCID: PMC10761727 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-44131-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2023] [Accepted: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Despite the recent achievements in urea electrosynthesis from co-reduction of nitrogen wastes (such as NO3-) and CO2, the product selectivity remains fairly mediocre due to the competing nature of the two parallel reduction reactions. Here we report a catalyst design that affords high selectivity to urea by sequentially reducing NO3- and CO2 at a dynamic catalytic centre, which not only alleviates the competition issue but also facilitates C-N coupling. We exemplify this strategy on a nitrogen-doped carbon catalyst, where a spontaneous switch between NO3- and CO2 reduction paths is enabled by reversible hydrogenation on the nitrogen functional groups. A high urea yield rate of 596.1 µg mg-1 h-1 with a promising Faradaic efficiency of 62% is obtained. These findings, rationalized by in situ spectroscopic techniques and theoretical calculations, are rooted in the proton-involved dynamic catalyst evolution that mitigates overwhelming reduction of reactants and thereby minimizes the formation of side products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Li
- School of Advanced Materials, Peking University, Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518055, China
- Hydrogen Energy Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310027, China
| | - Shisheng Zheng
- School of Advanced Materials, Peking University, Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518055, China
| | - Hao Liu
- School of Advanced Materials, Peking University, Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518055, China
| | - Qi Xiong
- School of Advanced Materials, Peking University, Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518055, China
| | - Haocong Yi
- School of Advanced Materials, Peking University, Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518055, China
| | - Haibin Yang
- School of Advanced Materials, Peking University, Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518055, China
| | - Zongwei Mei
- School of Advanced Materials, Peking University, Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518055, China
| | - Qinghe Zhao
- School of Advanced Materials, Peking University, Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518055, China
| | - Zu-Wei Yin
- School of Advanced Materials, Peking University, Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518055, China
| | - Ming Huang
- Institute of Fundamental and Frontier Sciences, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 611731, China.
| | - Yuan Lin
- Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China
| | - Weihong Lai
- Institute for Superconducting and Electronic Materials, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, 2522, Australia
| | - Shi-Xue Dou
- Institute for Superconducting and Electronic Materials, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, 2522, Australia
| | - Feng Pan
- School of Advanced Materials, Peking University, Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518055, China
| | - Shunning Li
- School of Advanced Materials, Peking University, Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518055, China.
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4
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Dar MA. Implications of the Pore Size of Graphitic Carbon Nitride Monolayers on the Selectivity of Dual-Boron Atom Catalysts for the Reduction of N 2 to Urea and Ammonia: A Computational Investigation. Inorg Chem 2023; 62:13672-13679. [PMID: 37555942 DOI: 10.1021/acs.inorgchem.3c02316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/10/2023]
Abstract
The formation of urea by electrocatalytic means remains a great challenge due to the lack of a suitable catalyst that is capable of not only activating inert N2 and CO2 molecules but also circumventing the complexity associated with subsequent reaction steps leading to urea formation. Herein, by means of comprehensive density functional theory simulations, we investigate the catalytic activity of highly stable transition-metal-free dual-boron atom-doped graphitic carbon-nitride monolayers with different pore sizes toward urea production under ambient conditions. As per the results, dual boron atoms impregnated in g-C2N and g-C6N6 monolayers with large pore diameters can successfully activate the N2 molecule and lead to the spontaneous formation of the *NCO*N intermediate, which is the most crucial step for urea formation via direct coupling of N2 and CO2. Interestingly, the B2@g-C2N and B2@g-C6N6 favor urea production with low limiting potentials of -1.11 and -1.18 V compared to very high limiting potentials of -1.71 and -1.88 V, respectively, for ammonia synthesis, leading to an almost 100% Faradaic efficiency for urea formation over ammonia. The dual-boron doping in g-C3N4 with a smaller pore size depicts comparatively weaker N2 adsorption than g-C2N and g-C6N6 counterparts. Further, B2@g-C3N4 prefers ammonia formation at a very low limiting potential of -0.40 V compared to a very high limiting potential of -2.11 V for urea formation. Thus, our findings clearly highlight the critical role played by the pore size of carbon-nitride monolayers in tuning the reactivity and catalytic activity of dual-boron atom catalysts toward urea formation in a selective manner, thereby providing valuable guidance in exploring other highly efficient urea catalysts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manzoor Ahmad Dar
- Department of Chemistry, Islamic University of Science and Technology, Awantipora 192122, Kashmir, India
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5
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Pan L, Wang J, Lu F, Liu Q, Gao Y, Wang Y, Jiang J, Sun C, Wang J, Wang X. Single-Atom or Dual-Atom in TiO 2 Nanosheet: Which is the Better Choice for Electrocatalytic Urea Synthesis? Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2023; 62:e202216835. [PMID: 36448542 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202216835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2022] [Revised: 11/26/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022]
Abstract
As rising star materials, single-atom and dual-atom catalysts have been widely reported in the electro-catalysis area. To answer the key question: single-atom and dual-atom catalysts, which is better for electrocatalytic urea synthesis? we design two types of catalysts via a vacancy-anchorage strategy: single-atom Pd1 -TiO2 and dual-atom Pd1 Cu1 -TiO2 nanosheets. An ultrahigh urea activity of 166.67 molurea molPd -1 h1 with the corresponding 22.54 % Faradaic efficiency at -0.5 V vs. reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE) is achieved over Pd1 Cu1 -TiO2 , which is much higher than that of Pd1 -TiO2 . Various characterization including an in situ diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS) and theoretical calculations demonstrate that dual-atom Pd1 Cu1 site in Pd1 Cu1 -TiO2 is more favorable for producing urea, which experiences a C-N coupling pathway with a lower energy barrier compared with Pd1 in Pd1 -TiO2 .
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Affiliation(s)
- Lu Pan
- Department of Physics, School of Physical Science and Engineering, Beijing Jiaotong University, Beijing, 100044, P. R. China
| | - Jingnan Wang
- School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Molecular Plus and Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering, Tianjin, 300072, P. R. China
| | - Fei Lu
- College of Physical Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225002, P. R. China
| | - Qiang Liu
- School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Molecular Plus and Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering, Tianjin, 300072, P. R. China
| | - Yuhang Gao
- Key Laboratory of Photochemistry Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, P. R. China
| | - Yan Wang
- Department of Physics, School of Physical Science and Engineering, Beijing Jiaotong University, Beijing, 100044, P. R. China
| | - Jingzhe Jiang
- School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Molecular Plus and Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering, Tianjin, 300072, P. R. China
| | - Chao Sun
- School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Molecular Plus and Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering, Tianjin, 300072, P. R. China
| | - Jian Wang
- Research Center for Magnetic and Spintronic Materials, National Institute for Materials Science, Tsukuba, 305-0047, Japan
| | - Xi Wang
- Department of Physics, School of Physical Science and Engineering, Beijing Jiaotong University, Beijing, 100044, P. R. China
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6
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Zhuo Q, Zhou X, Shima T, Hou Z. Dinitrogen Activation and Addition to Unsaturated C-E (E=C, N, O, S) Bonds Mediated by Transition Metal Complexes. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2023; 62:e202218606. [PMID: 36744517 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202218606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2022] [Revised: 02/03/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Dinitrogen (N2 ) activation and functionalization is of fundamental interest and practical importance. This review focuses on N2 activation and addition to unsaturated substrates, including carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, heteroallenes, aldehydes, ketones, acid halides, nitriles, alkynes, and allenes, mediated by transition metal complexes, which afforded a variety of N-C bond formation products. Emphases are placed on the reaction modes and mechanisms. We hope that this work would stimulate further explorations in this challenging field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingde Zhuo
- Organometallic Chemistry Laboratory, RIKEN Cluster for Pioneering Research, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama 351-0198, Japan
| | - Xiaoxi Zhou
- Organometallic Chemistry Laboratory, RIKEN Cluster for Pioneering Research, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama 351-0198, Japan
| | - Takanori Shima
- Organometallic Chemistry Laboratory, RIKEN Cluster for Pioneering Research, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama 351-0198, Japan.,Advanced Catalysis Research Group, RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama 351-0198, Japan
| | - Zhaomin Hou
- Organometallic Chemistry Laboratory, RIKEN Cluster for Pioneering Research, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama 351-0198, Japan.,Advanced Catalysis Research Group, RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama 351-0198, Japan
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7
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Geng J, Ji S, Jin M, Zhang C, Xu M, Wang G, Liang C, Zhang H. Ambient Electrosynthesis of Urea with Nitrate and Carbon Dioxide over Iron-Based Dual-Sites. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2023; 62:e202210958. [PMID: 36263900 PMCID: PMC10369923 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202210958] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2022] [Revised: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 10/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
The development of efficient electrocatalysts to generate key *NH2 and *CO intermediates is crucial for ambient urea electrosynthesis with nitrate (NO3 - ) and carbon dioxide (CO2 ). Here we report a liquid-phase laser irradiation method to fabricate symbiotic graphitic carbon encapsulated amorphous iron and iron oxide nanoparticles on carbon nanotubes (Fe(a)@C-Fe3 O4 /CNTs). Fe(a)@C-Fe3 O4 /CNTs exhibits superior electrocatalytic activity toward urea synthesis using NO3 - and CO2 , affording a urea yield of 1341.3±112.6 μg h-1 mgcat -1 and a faradic efficiency of 16.5±6.1 % at ambient conditions. Both experimental and theoretical results indicate that the formed Fe(a)@C and Fe3 O4 on CNTs provide dual active sites for the adsorption and activation of NO3 - and CO2 , thus generating key *NH2 and *CO intermediates with lower energy barriers for urea formation. This work would be helpful for design and development of high-efficiency dual-site electrocatalysts for ambient urea synthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Geng
- Key Laboratory of Materials Physics, Centre for Environmental and Energy Nanomaterials, Anhui Key Laboratory of Nanomaterials and Nanotechnology, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, Institute of Solid State Physics, HFIPS, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, 230031, China.,University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, China
| | - Sihan Ji
- Key Laboratory of Materials Physics, Centre for Environmental and Energy Nanomaterials, Anhui Key Laboratory of Nanomaterials and Nanotechnology, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, Institute of Solid State Physics, HFIPS, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, 230031, China.,University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, China
| | - Meng Jin
- Key Laboratory of Materials Physics, Centre for Environmental and Energy Nanomaterials, Anhui Key Laboratory of Nanomaterials and Nanotechnology, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, Institute of Solid State Physics, HFIPS, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, 230031, China.,University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, China
| | - Chao Zhang
- University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, China
| | - Min Xu
- Key Laboratory of Materials Physics, Centre for Environmental and Energy Nanomaterials, Anhui Key Laboratory of Nanomaterials and Nanotechnology, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, Institute of Solid State Physics, HFIPS, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, 230031, China.,University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, China
| | - Guozhong Wang
- Key Laboratory of Materials Physics, Centre for Environmental and Energy Nanomaterials, Anhui Key Laboratory of Nanomaterials and Nanotechnology, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, Institute of Solid State Physics, HFIPS, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, 230031, China.,University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, China
| | - Changhao Liang
- Key Laboratory of Materials Physics, Centre for Environmental and Energy Nanomaterials, Anhui Key Laboratory of Nanomaterials and Nanotechnology, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, Institute of Solid State Physics, HFIPS, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, 230031, China.,University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, China
| | - Haimin Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Materials Physics, Centre for Environmental and Energy Nanomaterials, Anhui Key Laboratory of Nanomaterials and Nanotechnology, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, Institute of Solid State Physics, HFIPS, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, 230031, China.,University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, China
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8
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Wong KT, Brigljević B, Lee JH, Yoon SY, Jang SB, Choong CE, Nah I, Kim H, Roh HS, Kwak SK, Lim H, Jang M. Highly Exposed NH 2 Edge on Fragmented g-C 3 N 4 Framework with Integrated Molybdenum Atoms for Catalytic CO 2 Cycloaddition: DFT and Techno-Economic Assessment. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2023; 19:e2204336. [PMID: 36403243 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202204336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2022] [Revised: 11/01/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
This study focuses on the applicability of single-atom Mo-doped graphitic carbon nitride (GCN) nanosheets which are specifically engineered with high surface area (exfoliated GCN), NH2 rich edges, and maximum utilization of isolated atomic Mo for propylene carbonate (PC) production through CO2 cycloaddition of propylene oxide (PO). Various operational parameters are optimized, for example, temperature (130 °C), pressure (20 bar), catalyst (Mo2 GCN), and catalyst mass (0.1 g). Under optimal conditions, 2% Mo-doped GCN (Mo2 GCN) has the highest catalytic performance, especially the turnover frequency (TOF) obtained, 36.4 h-1 is higher than most reported studies. DFT simulations prove the catalytic performance of Mo2 GCN significantly decreases the activation energy barrier for PO ring-opening from 50-60 to 4.903 kcal mol-1 . Coexistence of Lewis acid/base group improves the CO2 cycloaddition performance by the formation of coordination bond between electron-deficient Mo atom with O atom of PO, while NH2 surface group disrupts the stability of CO2 bond by donating electrons into its low-level empty orbital. Steady-state process simulation of the industrial-scale consumes 4.4 ton h-1 of CO2 with PC production of 10.2 ton h-1 . Techno-economic assessment profit from Mo2 GCN is estimated to be 60.39 million USD year-1 at a catalyst loss rate of 0.01 wt% h-1 .
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Affiliation(s)
- Kien Tiek Wong
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Kwangwoon University, Seoul, 01897, Republic of Korea
- Plasma Bioscience Research Center, Kwangwoon University, Seoul, 01897, Republic of Korea
| | - Boris Brigljević
- School of Energy and Chemical Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technolog, Ulsan, 44919, Republic of Korea
- Carbon Value Co., Ltd, 2801 A-dong, 97, Centum Jungang-ro, Haeundae-gu, Busan, 48058, Republic of Korea
| | - Jeong Hyeon Lee
- School of Energy and Chemical Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technolog, Ulsan, 44919, Republic of Korea
| | - So Yeon Yoon
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Kwangwoon University, Seoul, 01897, Republic of Korea
- Plasma Bioscience Research Center, Kwangwoon University, Seoul, 01897, Republic of Korea
| | - Seok Byum Jang
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Kwangwoon University, Seoul, 01897, Republic of Korea
- Plasma Bioscience Research Center, Kwangwoon University, Seoul, 01897, Republic of Korea
| | - Choe Earn Choong
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Kwangwoon University, Seoul, 01897, Republic of Korea
- Plasma Bioscience Research Center, Kwangwoon University, Seoul, 01897, Republic of Korea
| | - Inwook Nah
- Center for Energy Convergence, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul, 02792, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyeongjun Kim
- School of Energy and Chemical Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technolog, Ulsan, 44919, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyun-Seog Roh
- Department of Environmental and Energy Engineering, Yonsei University, Gangwon, 26493, Republic of Korea
| | - Sang Kyu Kwak
- School of Energy and Chemical Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technolog, Ulsan, 44919, Republic of Korea
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Korea University, Seoul, 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Hankwon Lim
- School of Energy and Chemical Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technolog, Ulsan, 44919, Republic of Korea
| | - Min Jang
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Kwangwoon University, Seoul, 01897, Republic of Korea
- Plasma Bioscience Research Center, Kwangwoon University, Seoul, 01897, Republic of Korea
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9
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Zhang D, Xue Y, Zheng X, Zhang C, Li Y. Multi-heterointerfaces for selective and efficient urea production. Natl Sci Rev 2022; 10:nwac209. [PMID: 36817842 PMCID: PMC9935990 DOI: 10.1093/nsr/nwac209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2022] [Revised: 08/22/2022] [Accepted: 09/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
A major impediment to industrial urea synthesis is the lack of catalysts with high selectivity and activity, which inhibits the efficient industrial production of urea. Here, we report a new catalyst system suitable for the highly selective synthesis of industrial urea by in situ growth of graphdiyne on the surface of cobalt-nickel mixed oxides. Such a catalyst is a multi-heterojunction interfacial structure resulting in the obvious incomplete charge-transfer phenomenon between a graphdiyne and metal oxide interface and multiple intermolecular interactions. These intrinsic characteristics are the origin of the high performance of the catalyst. Studies on the mechanism reveal that the catalyst could effectively optimize the adsorption/desorption capacities of the intermediate and promote direct C-N coupling by significantly suppressing by-product reactions toward the formation of H2, CO, N2 and NH3. The catalyst can selectively synthesize urea directly from nitrite and carbon dioxide in water at room temperature and pressure, and exhibits a record-high Faradaic efficiency of 64.3%, nitrogen selectivity (Nurea-selectivity) of 86.0%, carbon selectivity (Curea-selectivity) of ∼100%, as well as urea yield rates of 913.2 μg h-1 mgcat -1 and remarkable long-term stability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danyan Zhang
- Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | | | - Xuchen Zheng
- Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Chao Zhang
- Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
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10
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Lv J, Yin R, Zhou L, Li J, Kikas R, Xu T, Wang Z, Jin H, Wang X, Wang S. Microenvironment Engineering for the Electrocatalytic CO
2
Reduction Reaction. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2022; 61:e202207252. [DOI: 10.1002/anie.202207252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jing‐Jing Lv
- Key Laboratory of Carbon Materials of Zhejiang Province Institute of New Materials and Industrial Technologies Wenzhou University Wenzhou Zhejiang 325035 China
| | - Ruonan Yin
- Key Laboratory of Carbon Materials of Zhejiang Province Institute of New Materials and Industrial Technologies Wenzhou University Wenzhou Zhejiang 325035 China
| | - Limin Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Carbon Materials of Zhejiang Province Institute of New Materials and Industrial Technologies Wenzhou University Wenzhou Zhejiang 325035 China
| | - Jun Li
- Key Laboratory of Carbon Materials of Zhejiang Province Institute of New Materials and Industrial Technologies Wenzhou University Wenzhou Zhejiang 325035 China
| | - Reddu Kikas
- School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering Nanyang Technological University 62 Nanyang Drive Singapore 637459 Singapore
| | - Ting Xu
- Key Laboratory of Carbon Materials of Zhejiang Province Institute of New Materials and Industrial Technologies Wenzhou University Wenzhou Zhejiang 325035 China
| | - Zheng‐Jun Wang
- Key Laboratory of Carbon Materials of Zhejiang Province Institute of New Materials and Industrial Technologies Wenzhou University Wenzhou Zhejiang 325035 China
| | - Huile Jin
- Key Laboratory of Carbon Materials of Zhejiang Province Institute of New Materials and Industrial Technologies Wenzhou University Wenzhou Zhejiang 325035 China
| | - Xin Wang
- School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering Nanyang Technological University 62 Nanyang Drive Singapore 637459 Singapore
| | - Shun Wang
- Key Laboratory of Carbon Materials of Zhejiang Province Institute of New Materials and Industrial Technologies Wenzhou University Wenzhou Zhejiang 325035 China
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11
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Ren Y, Wang C, Duan W, Zhou L, Pang X, Wang D, Zhen Y, Yang C, Gao Z. MoS 2/Ni 3S 2 Schottky heterojunction regulating local charge distribution for efficient urea oxidation and hydrogen evolution. J Colloid Interface Sci 2022; 628:446-455. [PMID: 35998467 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2022.08.055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2022] [Revised: 08/06/2022] [Accepted: 08/10/2022] [Indexed: 10/16/2022]
Abstract
Electrocatalytic urea oxidation reaction (UOR) is a prospective method to substitute the slow oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and solve the problem of urea-rich water pollution due to the low thermodynamic voltage, but its complex six-electron oxidation process greatly impedes the overall efficiency of electrolysis. Here, density functional theory (DFT) calculations imply that the metallic Ni3S2 and semiconductive MoS2 could form Mott-Schottky catalyst because of the suitable band structure. Therefore, we synthesized MoS2/Ni3S2 electrocatalyst by a simple hydrothermal method, and studied its UOR and hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) performance. The formed MoS2/Ni3S2 Schottky heterojunction is only required 109 and 166 mV to obtain ±10 mA cm-2 for UOR and HER, respectively, showing great bifunctional catalytic activity. Moreover, the full urea electrolysis driven by MoS2/Ni3S2 delivers 10 and 100 mA cm-2 at a relatively low potential of 1.44 and 1.59 V. Comprehensive experiments and DFT calculations demonstrate that the MoS2/Ni3S2 Schottky heterojunction causes self-driven charge transfer at the interface and forms built-in electric field, which is not only benefit to reduce H* adsorption energy, but also helps to adjust the absorption and directional distribution of urea molecules, thereby promoting the activity of decomposition of water and urea. This research furnishes a tactic to devise more efficient catalysts for H2 generation and the treatment of urea-rich water pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yufei Ren
- College of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, Yan'an University, Research Institute of Comprehensive Energy Industry Technology, Yan'an 716000, Shaanxi, PR China
| | - Chuantao Wang
- College of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, Yan'an University, Research Institute of Comprehensive Energy Industry Technology, Yan'an 716000, Shaanxi, PR China
| | - Wen Duan
- College of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, Yan'an University, Research Institute of Comprehensive Energy Industry Technology, Yan'an 716000, Shaanxi, PR China
| | - Lihai Zhou
- College of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, Yan'an University, Research Institute of Comprehensive Energy Industry Technology, Yan'an 716000, Shaanxi, PR China
| | - Xiangxiang Pang
- College of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, Yan'an University, Research Institute of Comprehensive Energy Industry Technology, Yan'an 716000, Shaanxi, PR China
| | - Danjun Wang
- College of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, Yan'an University, Research Institute of Comprehensive Energy Industry Technology, Yan'an 716000, Shaanxi, PR China
| | - Yanzhong Zhen
- College of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, Yan'an University, Research Institute of Comprehensive Energy Industry Technology, Yan'an 716000, Shaanxi, PR China
| | - Chunming Yang
- College of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, Yan'an University, Research Institute of Comprehensive Energy Industry Technology, Yan'an 716000, Shaanxi, PR China.
| | - Ziwei Gao
- College of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, Yan'an University, Research Institute of Comprehensive Energy Industry Technology, Yan'an 716000, Shaanxi, PR China; Key Laboratory of Applied Surface and Colloid Chemistry, Ministry of Education, Xi'an Key Laboratory of Organometallic Material Chemistry, School of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, Shaanxi Normal University, No.620, West Chang'an Avenue, Xi'an 710119, PR China; School of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, Xinjiang Normal University, Urumqi 830054, PR China.
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12
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Lv JJ, Yin R, Zhou L, Li J, Kikas R, Xu T, Wang ZJ, Jin H, Wang X, Wang S. Microenvironment Engineering for the Electrocatalytic CO2 Reduction Reaction. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.202207252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jing-Jing Lv
- Wenzhou University Institute of New Materials and Industrial Technologies CHINA
| | - Ruonan Yin
- Wenzhou University Institute of New Materials and Industrial Technologies CHINA
| | - Limin Zhou
- Wenzhou University Institute of New Materials and Industrial Technologies CHINA
| | - Jun Li
- Wenzhou University Institute of New Materials and Industrial Technologies CHINA
| | - Reddu Kikas
- Nanyang Technological University School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering SINGAPORE
| | - Ting Xu
- Wenzhou University Institute of New Materials and Industrial Technologies CHINA
| | - Zheng-Jun Wang
- Wenzhou University Institute of New Materials and Industrial Technologies CHINA
| | - Huile Jin
- Wenzhou University Institute of New Materials and Industrial Technologies CHINA
| | - Xin Wang
- Nanyang Technological University School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering SINGAPORE
| | - Shun Wang
- Wenzhou University Nano-materials & Chemistry Key Laboratory Xueyuan Middle Road 325027 Wenzhou CHINA
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13
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Xia M, Mao C, Gu A, Tountas AA, Qiu C, Wood TE, Li YF, Ulmer U, Xu Y, Viasus CJ, Ye J, Qian C, Ozin G. Solar Urea: Towards a Sustainable Fertilizer Industry. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.202110158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Meikun Xia
- Department of Chemistry University of Toronto 80 St. George Street Toronto Ontario M5S3H6 Canada
| | - Chengliang Mao
- Department of Chemistry University of Toronto 80 St. George Street Toronto Ontario M5S3H6 Canada
- Key Laboratory of Pesticide & Chemical Biology of Ministry of Education, Institute of Environmental & Applied Chemistry College of Chemistry Central China Normal University Wuhan 430079 P. R. China
| | - Alan Gu
- Department of Chemistry University of Toronto 80 St. George Street Toronto Ontario M5S3H6 Canada
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering California Institute of Technology Pasadena CA 91125 USA
| | - Athanasios A. Tountas
- Department of Chemistry University of Toronto 80 St. George Street Toronto Ontario M5S3H6 Canada
| | - Chenyue Qiu
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering University of Toronto 184 College Street Toronto Ontario M5S 3E4 Canada
| | - Thomas E. Wood
- Department of Chemistry University of Toronto 80 St. George Street Toronto Ontario M5S3H6 Canada
| | - Young Feng Li
- Department of Chemistry University of Toronto 80 St. George Street Toronto Ontario M5S3H6 Canada
| | - Ulrich Ulmer
- Department of Chemistry University of Toronto 80 St. George Street Toronto Ontario M5S3H6 Canada
| | - Yangfan Xu
- Department of Chemistry University of Toronto 80 St. George Street Toronto Ontario M5S3H6 Canada
| | - Camilo J. Viasus
- Department of Chemistry University of Toronto 80 St. George Street Toronto Ontario M5S3H6 Canada
| | - Jessica Ye
- Department of Chemistry University of Toronto 80 St. George Street Toronto Ontario M5S3H6 Canada
| | - Chenxi Qian
- Department of Chemistry University of Toronto 80 St. George Street Toronto Ontario M5S3H6 Canada
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering California Institute of Technology Pasadena CA 91125 USA
| | - Geoffrey Ozin
- Department of Chemistry University of Toronto 80 St. George Street Toronto Ontario M5S3H6 Canada
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14
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Xia M, Mao C, Gu A, Tountas AA, Qiu C, Wood TE, Li YF, Ulmer U, Xu Y, Viasus CJ, Ye J, Qian C, Ozin G. Solar Urea: Towards a Sustainable Fertilizer Industry. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2021; 61:e202110158. [PMID: 34734453 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202110158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2021] [Revised: 10/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Urea, an agricultural fertilizer, nourishes humanity. The century-old Bosch-Meiser process provides the world's urea. It is multi-step, consumes enormous amounts of non-renewable energy, and has a large CO2 footprint. Thus, developing an eco-friendly synthesis for urea is a priority. Herein we report a single-step Pd/LTA-3A catalyzed synthesis of urea from CO2 and NH3 under ambient conditions powered solely by solar energy. Pd nanoparticles serve the dual function of catalyzing the dissociation of NH3 and providing the photothermal driving force for urea formation, while the absorption capacity of LTA-3A removes by-product H2 O to shift the equilibrium towards urea production. The solar urea conversion rate from NH3 and CO2 is 87 μmol g-1 h-1 . This advance represents a first step towards the use of solar energy in urea production. It provides insights into green fertilizer production, and inspires the vision of sustainable, modular plants for distributed production of urea on farms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meikun Xia
- Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, 80 St. George Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5S3H6, Canada
| | - Chengliang Mao
- Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, 80 St. George Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5S3H6, Canada.,Key Laboratory of Pesticide & Chemical Biology of Ministry of Education, Institute of Environmental & Applied Chemistry, College of Chemistry, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, 430079, P. R. China
| | - Alan Gu
- Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, 80 St. George Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5S3H6, Canada.,Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, 91125, USA
| | - Athanasios A Tountas
- Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, 80 St. George Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5S3H6, Canada
| | - Chenyue Qiu
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Toronto, 184 College Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3E4, Canada
| | - Thomas E Wood
- Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, 80 St. George Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5S3H6, Canada
| | - Young Feng Li
- Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, 80 St. George Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5S3H6, Canada
| | - Ulrich Ulmer
- Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, 80 St. George Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5S3H6, Canada
| | - Yangfan Xu
- Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, 80 St. George Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5S3H6, Canada
| | - Camilo J Viasus
- Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, 80 St. George Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5S3H6, Canada
| | - Jessica Ye
- Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, 80 St. George Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5S3H6, Canada
| | - Chenxi Qian
- Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, 80 St. George Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5S3H6, Canada.,Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, 91125, USA
| | - Geoffrey Ozin
- Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, 80 St. George Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5S3H6, Canada
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15
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Lu K, Xia F, Li B, Liu Y, Abdul Razak IB, Gao S, Kaelin J, Brown DE, Cheng Y. Synergistic Multisites Fe 2Mo 6S 8 Electrocatalysts for Ambient Nitrogen Conversion to Ammonia. ACS NANO 2021; 15:16887-16895. [PMID: 34612041 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.1c07771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Electrochemical hydrogenation of N2 under ambient conditions is attractive for sustainable and distributable NH3 production but is limited by the lack of selective electrocatalysts. Herein, we describe active site motifs based on the Chevrel phase chalcogenide Fe2Mo6S8 that exhibit intrinsic activities for converting N2 to NH3 in aqueous electrolytes. Despite having a very low specific surface area of ∼2 m2/g, this catalyst exhibited a Faradaic efficiency of 12.5% and an average rate of 70 μg h-1 mgcat-1 for NH3 production at -0.20 V vs RHE. Such activities were attributed to the unique composition and structure of Fe2Mo6S8 that provide synergistic multisites for activating and associating key reaction intermediates. Specifically, Fe/Mo sites assist adsorption and activation of N2, whereas S sites stabilize hydrogen intermediate Had* for N2 hydrogenation. Fe in Fe2Mo6S8 enhances binding of S with Had* and thus inhibits the competing hydrogen evolution reaction. The spatial geometry of Fe, Mo, and S sites in Fe2Mo6S8 promotes conversion of N2-Had* association intermediates, reaching a turnover frequency of ∼0.23 s-1 for NH3 production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ke Lu
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, Illinois 60115, United States
| | - Fan Xia
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, Illinois 60115, United States
| | - Bomin Li
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, Illinois 60115, United States
| | - Yuzi Liu
- Center of Nanoscale Materials, Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, Illinois 60439, United States
| | - Iddrisu B Abdul Razak
- Department of Physics, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, Illinois 60115, United States
| | - Siyuan Gao
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, Illinois 60115, United States
| | - Jacob Kaelin
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, Illinois 60115, United States
| | - Dennis E Brown
- Department of Physics, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, Illinois 60115, United States
| | - Yingwen Cheng
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, Illinois 60115, United States
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