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He HB, Ding XL, Wang YY, Chen Y, Wang MM, Chen JJ, Li W. Catalysts with Trimetallic Sites on Graphene-like C 2N for Electrocatalytic Nitrogen Reduction Reaction: A Theoretical Investigation. Chemphyschem 2024; 25:e202400143. [PMID: 38726743 DOI: 10.1002/cphc.202400143] [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: 02/07/2024] [Revised: 05/09/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024]
Abstract
Electrocatalytic nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR) is a green and highly efficient way to replace the industrial Haber-Bosch process. Herein, clusters consisting of three transition metal atoms loaded on C2N as NRR electrocatalysts are investigated using density functional theory (DFT). Meanwhile, Ca was introduced as a promoter and the role of Ca in NRR was investigated. It was found that Ca anchored to the catalyst can act as an electron donor and effectively promote the activation of N2 on M3. In both M3@C2N and M3Ca@C2N (M=Fe, Co, Ni), the limiting potential (UL) is less negative than that of the Ru(0001) surface and has the ability to suppress the competitive hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Among them, Fe3@C2N is suggested to be the most promising candidate for NRR with high thermal stability, strong N2 adsorption ability, low limiting potential, and good NRR selectivity. The concepts of trimetallic sites and alkaline earth metal promoters in this work provide theoretical guidance for the rational design of atomically active sites in electrocatalytic NRR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Han-Bin He
- Institute of Clusters and Low Dimensional Nanomaterials, School of Mathematics and Physics, North China Electric Power University, Beinong Road 2, Changping, Beijing, 102206, P. R. China
| | - Xun-Lei Ding
- Institute of Clusters and Low Dimensional Nanomaterials, School of Mathematics and Physics, North China Electric Power University, Beinong Road 2, Changping, Beijing, 102206, P. R. China
- School of New Energy, North China Electric Power University, Beinong Road 2, Changping, Beijing, 102206, P. R. China
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Physics and Energy Technology, North China Electric Power University, Baoding, 071000, P. R. China
| | - Ya-Ya Wang
- Institute of Clusters and Low Dimensional Nanomaterials, School of Mathematics and Physics, North China Electric Power University, Beinong Road 2, Changping, Beijing, 102206, P. R. China
- School of New Energy, North China Electric Power University, Beinong Road 2, Changping, Beijing, 102206, P. R. China
| | - Yan Chen
- Institute of Clusters and Low Dimensional Nanomaterials, School of Mathematics and Physics, North China Electric Power University, Beinong Road 2, Changping, Beijing, 102206, P. R. China
- School of New Energy, North China Electric Power University, Beinong Road 2, Changping, Beijing, 102206, P. R. China
| | - Meng-Meng Wang
- Institute of Clusters and Low Dimensional Nanomaterials, School of Mathematics and Physics, North China Electric Power University, Beinong Road 2, Changping, Beijing, 102206, P. R. China
- School of New Energy, North China Electric Power University, Beinong Road 2, Changping, Beijing, 102206, P. R. China
| | - Jiao-Jiao Chen
- Institute of Clusters and Low Dimensional Nanomaterials, School of Mathematics and Physics, North China Electric Power University, Beinong Road 2, Changping, Beijing, 102206, P. R. China
| | - Wei Li
- Institute of Clusters and Low Dimensional Nanomaterials, School of Mathematics and Physics, North China Electric Power University, Beinong Road 2, Changping, Beijing, 102206, P. R. China
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Pan J, Li M, Filot IAW, Wang H, Hensen EJM, Zhang L. Descriptor for C 2N-Supported Single-Cluster Catalysts in Bifunctional Oxygen Evolution and Reduction Reactions. J Phys Chem Lett 2024; 15:2066-2074. [PMID: 38358260 PMCID: PMC10895691 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.3c03573] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/16/2024]
Abstract
Developing highly active cluster catalysts for the bifunctional oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is significant for future renewable energy technology. Here, we employ first-principles calculations combined with a genetic algorithm to explore the activity trends of transition metal clusters supported on C2N. Our results indicate that the supported clusters, as bifunctional catalysts for the OER and the ORR, may outperform single-atom catalysts. In particular, the C2N-supported Ag6 cluster exhibits outstanding bifunctional activity with low overpotentials. Mechanistic analysis indicates that the activity of the cluster is related to the number of atoms in the active site as well as the interaction between the intermediate and the cluster. Accordingly, we identify a descriptor that links the intrinsic properties of the clusters with the activity of both the OER and the ORR. This work provides guidelines and strategies for the rational design of highly efficient bifunctional cluster catalysts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Pan
- School of Physics, Hunan Key Laboratory of Super Microstructure and Ultrafast Process, State Key Laboratory of Powder Metallurgy, Central South University, Changsha 410083, China
| | - Min Li
- School of Physics, Hunan Key Laboratory of Super Microstructure and Ultrafast Process, State Key Laboratory of Powder Metallurgy, Central South University, Changsha 410083, China
| | - Ivo A W Filot
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry, Eindhoven University of Technology, P.O. Box 513, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands
| | - Hui Wang
- School of Physics, Hunan Key Laboratory of Super Microstructure and Ultrafast Process, State Key Laboratory of Powder Metallurgy, Central South University, Changsha 410083, China
| | - Emiel J M Hensen
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry, Eindhoven University of Technology, P.O. Box 513, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands
| | - Long Zhang
- School of Physics, Hunan Key Laboratory of Super Microstructure and Ultrafast Process, State Key Laboratory of Powder Metallurgy, Central South University, Changsha 410083, China
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry, Eindhoven University of Technology, P.O. Box 513, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands
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Fang C, Zhou J, Zhang L, Wan W, Ding Y, Sun X. Synergy of dual-atom catalysts deviated from the scaling relationship for oxygen evolution reaction. Nat Commun 2023; 14:4449. [PMID: 37488102 PMCID: PMC10366111 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-40177-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2022] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 07/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Dual-atom catalysts, particularly those with heteronuclear active sites, have the potential to outperform the well-established single-atom catalysts for oxygen evolution reaction, but the underlying mechanistic understanding is still lacking. Herein, a large-scale density functional theory is employed to explore the feasibility of *O-*O coupling mechanism, which can circumvent the scaling relationship with improving the catalytic performance of N-doped graphene supported Fe-, Co-, Ni-, and Cu-containing heteronuclear dual-atom catalysts, namely, M'M@NC. Based on the constructed activity maps, a rationally designed descriptor can be obtained to predict homonuclear catalysts. Seven heteronuclear and four homonuclear dual-atom catalysts possess high activities that outperform the minimum theoretical overpotential. The chemical and structural origin in favor of *O-*O coupling mechanism thus leading to enhanced reaction activity have been revealed. This work not only provides additional insights into the fundamental understanding of reaction mechanisms, but also offers a guideline for the accelerated discovery of efficient catalysts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cong Fang
- Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 266101, Qingdao, China
- Shandong Energy Institute, 266101, Qingdao, China
| | - Jian Zhou
- Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 266101, Qingdao, China
- Shandong Energy Institute, 266101, Qingdao, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, Beijing, China
| | - Lili Zhang
- Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 266101, Qingdao, China
- Shandong Energy Institute, 266101, Qingdao, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, Beijing, China
| | - Wenchao Wan
- Max-Plank Institute for Chemical Energy Conversion, Mülheim an der Ruhr, 45470, Germany
| | - Yuxiao Ding
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, Beijing, China.
- Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 730000, Lanzhou, China.
| | - Xiaoyan Sun
- Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 266101, Qingdao, China.
- Shandong Energy Institute, 266101, Qingdao, China.
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049, Beijing, China.
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Li Y, An W. Synergistic effect of diatomic Mo-B site confined in graphene-like C 2N enables electrocatalytic nitrogen reduction via novel mechanism. J Chem Phys 2022; 157:214702. [PMID: 36511535 DOI: 10.1063/5.0112520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Structural modulation of the active site with atomic-level precision is of great importance to meet the activity and selectivity challenges that electrocatalysts are commonly facing. In this work, we have designed a metal (M)-nonmetal diatomic site embedded in graphene-like C2N (denoted as Mo-B@C2N), where the electrocatalytic N2 reduction reaction (eNRR) was thoroughly explored using density functional theory combined with the computational hydrogen electrode method. Compared to M-M diatomic sites, the Mo-B site can generate a pronounced synergistic effect that led to eNRR proceeding via a novel quasi-dissociative reaction mechanism that has not been reported relative to the conventional enzymatic, consecutive, distal, and alternating associative mechanism. This newly uncovered mechanism in which N-N bond scission takes place immediately after the first proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) step (i.e., *NH-*N + H+ + e- → *NH2*N) has demonstrated much advantage in the PCET process over the four conventional mechanism in terms of thermodynamic barrier, except that the adsorption of side-on *N2 seemed thermodynamically unfavorable (ΔGads = 0.61 eV). Our results have revealed that the activation of the inert N≡N triple bond is dominated by the π*-backdonation mechanism as a consequence of charge transfers from both the B and Mo sites and, unexpectedly, from the substrate C2N itself as well. Moreover, the hybrid Mo-B diatomic site demonstrated superior performance over either the Mo-Mo or B-B site for driving eNRR. Our study could provide insight into the delicate relationships among atomic site, substrate, and electrocatalytic performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Li
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University of Engineering Science, 333 Longteng Road, Songjiang District, Shanghai 201620, China
| | - Wei An
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University of Engineering Science, 333 Longteng Road, Songjiang District, Shanghai 201620, China
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Ghoshal S, Ghosh A, Roy P, Ball B, Pramanik A, Sarkar P. Recent Progress in Computational Design of Single-Atom/Cluster Catalysts for Electrochemical and Solar-Driven N 2 Fixation. ACS Catal 2022. [DOI: 10.1021/acscatal.2c04527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Sourav Ghoshal
- Department of Chemistry, Visva-Bharati University, Santiniketan731 235, India
| | - Atish Ghosh
- Department of Chemistry, Visva-Bharati University, Santiniketan731 235, India
| | - Prodyut Roy
- Department of Chemistry, Visva-Bharati University, Santiniketan731 235, India
| | - Biswajit Ball
- Department of Chemistry, Visva-Bharati University, Santiniketan731 235, India
| | - Anup Pramanik
- Department of Chemistry, Sidho-Kanho-Birsha University, Purulia723 104, India
| | - Pranab Sarkar
- Department of Chemistry, Visva-Bharati University, Santiniketan731 235, India
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Das BK, Banerjee A, Das A, Chattopadhyay KK. Graphyne Supported Co13, Fe13 and Ni13 nano-cluster as Efficient Electrocatalysts for Nitrogen Reduction Reaction: A First Principles Study. Catal Today 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cattod.2022.09.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Le Y, Wei C, Xue W, Li Y, Zhang Y, Lin W. Nitrogen reduction on crystalline carbon nitride supported by homonuclear bimetallic atoms. J Chem Phys 2022; 157:114704. [DOI: 10.1063/5.0107095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Electrocatalytic nitrogen reduction reaction (eNRR) is a new method for sustainable NH3 production, which has attracted much attention in recent years. However, the low Faradic efficiency (FE) due to competitive hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and inert N≡N triple bond activation hinders its practical application. To find highly efficient electrocatalysts with excellent activity, stability and selectivity, we have studied a series of transition metal dimers (TM2) loaded on poly triazine imide (PTI), a crystalline carbon nitride, by density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The results show that most of the metal dimers have a good stability. Finally, among 26 homonuclear diatomic catalysts, Mo2@PTI, Re2@PTI and Pt2@PTI exhibit a strong capability of suppressing HER with favorable limiting potential of -0.53 V, -0.36 V and -0.63 V, respectively, which can be used as efficient electrocatalysts for NRR. In this study, a homonuclear diatomic eNRR catalyst was designed and screened to provide not only a theoretical basis for the experiments, but also an alternative approach for the sustainable synthesis of ammonia.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Wei Lin
- Chemistry, Fuzhou University, China
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