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Gupta D, Kafle A, Singh M, Kumar S, Nagaiah TC. Real-time screening of Ni xB y bifunctional electrocatalysts for overall NH 3 synthesis via SG-TC SECM. MATERIALS HORIZONS 2024; 11:1212-1222. [PMID: 38116801 DOI: 10.1039/d3mh01939j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
Electrochemical ammonia synthesis, which couples oxygen evolution at the anode with nitrogen reduction at the cathode, holds great significance for future food and energy needs. Both of these half-cell reactions determine the overall cell potential and efficiency of the process. However, the employment of different catalysts on either side, due to discrete mechanisms, increases the complexity and material processing costs of the system, where the designing of a bifunctional catalyst active towards both the NRR and OER is of huge significance. Unfortunately, the initial screening of the designed catalysts via physical characterizations, optical methods and other techniques, does not provide details about the electrochemical activity. The scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) technique can be useful to screen multi-catalysts at the same time for their electrochemical activities. Herein, we employed the sample generation-tip collection (SG-TC) mode of SECM to screen the designed NixBy catalysts before half-cell investigations, which suggested that the catalyst synthesized via sonochemical reduction (SR), i.e. NixBy (SR), was a better catalyst. This inference was in accordance with the half-cell NRR and OER measurements (FE: 49% for NH3 production, OER overpotential: 300 mV). By virtue of this remarkable bifunctional activity, the NRR-OER coupled full cell was assembled, which initiated the NH3 production at just 1.7 V and produced NH3 (1.08 mg h-1 mgcat-1) at the cathode and O2 (0.81 mg h-1 mgcat-1) at the anode after 2 h of electrolysis at 1.9 V.
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Affiliation(s)
- Divyani Gupta
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Ropar, Rupnagar, Punjab 140001, India.
| | - Alankar Kafle
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Ropar, Rupnagar, Punjab 140001, India.
| | - Man Singh
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Ropar, Rupnagar, Punjab 140001, India.
| | - Sameer Kumar
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Ropar, Rupnagar, Punjab 140001, India.
| | - Tharamani C Nagaiah
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Ropar, Rupnagar, Punjab 140001, India.
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Sun X, Dai Y, Huang B, Wei W. High-Throughput Screening of Effective Dual Atom Catalysts for the Nitric Oxide Reduction Reaction. J Phys Chem Lett 2023; 14:11684-11690. [PMID: 38109369 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.3c03105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2023]
Abstract
Electrochemical NO-to-NH3 conversion has been attracting more attention in the field of green energy, which, however, imposes restrictions on the catalysts. We therefore design a family of dual atom catalysts (DACs) TM1TM2@g-CN and perform high-throughput screening to position the effective catalysts for electrocatalytic NO-to-NH3 conversion from first-principles computations. We identify that TiCr@g-CN (-0.37 V), TiMo@g-CN (-0.36 V), and MnMo@g-CN (-0.43 V) are promising candidates with low overpotentials. In particular, we find that MoMo@g-CN can spontaneously reduce NO to NH3, which makes it an excellent electrocatalyst for the NO reduction reaction (NORR) to be translated to experiments. In terms of the local geometry feature and local electronic structures, we unravel the origin of the high NORR activity and high selectivity of the DAC MoMo@g-CN.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaowen Sun
- School of Physics, State Key Laboratory of Crystal Materials, Shandong University, Jinan 250100, China
| | - Ying Dai
- School of Physics, State Key Laboratory of Crystal Materials, Shandong University, Jinan 250100, China
| | - Baibiao Huang
- School of Physics, State Key Laboratory of Crystal Materials, Shandong University, Jinan 250100, China
| | - Wei Wei
- School of Physics, State Key Laboratory of Crystal Materials, Shandong University, Jinan 250100, China
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Sun Y, Shi W, Fu YQ, Yu H, Wang Z, Li Z. The novel π-d conjugated TM 2B 3N 3S 6 (TM = Mo, Ti and W) monolayers as highly active single-atom catalysts for electrocatalytic synthesis of ammonia. J Colloid Interface Sci 2023; 650:1-12. [PMID: 37392494 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2023.06.181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2023] [Revised: 06/11/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/03/2023]
Abstract
Recently, single-atom catalysts (SACs) are receiving significant attention in electrocatalysis fields due to their excellent specific activities and extremely high atomic utilization ratio. Effective loading of metal atoms and high stability of SACs increase the number of exposed active sites, thus significantly improving their catalytic efficiency. Herein, we proposed a series (29 in total) of two-dimensional (2D) conjugated structures of TM2B3N3S6 (TM means those 3d to 5d transition metals) and studied the performance as single-atom catalysts for nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR) using density functional theory (DFT). Results show that TM2B3N3S6 (TM = Mo, Ti and W) monolayers have superior performance for ammonia synthesis with low limiting potentials of -0.38, -0.53 and -0.68 V, respectively. Among them, the Mo2B3N3S6 monolayer shows the best catalytic performance of NRR. Meanwhile, the π conjugated B3N3S6 rings undergo coordinated electron transfer with the d orbitals of TM to exhibit good chargeability, and these TM2B3N3S6 monolayers activate isolated N2 according to the "acceptance-donation" mechanism. We have also verified the good stability (i.e., Ef < 0, and Udiss > 0) and high selectivity (Ud = -0.03, 0.01 and 0.10 V, respectively) of the above four types of monolayers for NRR over hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). The NRR activities have been clarified by multiple-level descriptors (ΔG*N2H, ICOHP, and Ɛd) in the terms of basic characteristics, electronic property, and energy. Moreover, the aqueous solution can promote the NRR process, leading to the reduction of ΔGPDS from 0.38 eV to 0.27 eV for the Mo2B3N3S6 monolayer. However, the TM2B3N3S6 (TM = Mo, Ti and W) also showed excellent stability in aqueous phase. This study proves that the π-d conjugated monolayers of TM2B3N3S6 (TM = Mo, Ti and W) as electrocatalysts show great potentials for the nitrogen reduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongxiu Sun
- University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054, PR China
| | - Wenwu Shi
- University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054, PR China
| | - Yong-Qing Fu
- Faculty of Engineering and Environment, Northumbria University, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE1 8ST, UK
| | - Haijian Yu
- Department of Mechanical Engineer, Weihai Secondary Vocational School, Weihai 264213, PR China
| | - Zhiguo Wang
- University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054, PR China.
| | - Zhijie Li
- University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054, PR China.
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Chen Z, Liu C, Sun L, Wang T. Progress of Experimental and Computational Catalyst Design for Electrochemical Nitrogen Fixation. ACS Catal 2022. [DOI: 10.1021/acscatal.2c02629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Zhe Chen
- Center of Artificial Photosynthesis for Solar Fuels and Department of Chemistry, School of Science, Westlake University, 18 Shilongshan Road, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province 310024, China
- Department of Chemistry, Zhejiang University, 38 Zheda Road, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province 310027, China
| | - Chunli Liu
- Center of Artificial Photosynthesis for Solar Fuels and Department of Chemistry, School of Science, Westlake University, 18 Shilongshan Road, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province 310024, China
- Institute of Natural Sciences, Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, 18 Shilongshan Road, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province 310024, China
| | - Licheng Sun
- Center of Artificial Photosynthesis for Solar Fuels and Department of Chemistry, School of Science, Westlake University, 18 Shilongshan Road, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province 310024, China
- Institute of Natural Sciences, Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, 18 Shilongshan Road, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province 310024, China
| | - Tao Wang
- Center of Artificial Photosynthesis for Solar Fuels and Department of Chemistry, School of Science, Westlake University, 18 Shilongshan Road, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province 310024, China
- Institute of Natural Sciences, Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, 18 Shilongshan Road, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province 310024, China
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Tursun M, Wu C. Electrocatalytic Reduction of N 2 to NH 3 Over Defective 1T'-WX 2 (X=S, Se, Te) Monolayers. CHEMSUSCHEM 2022; 15:e202200191. [PMID: 35338584 DOI: 10.1002/cssc.202200191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2022] [Revised: 03/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Defects in transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) can serve as active sites in catalytic reactions. In this work, by means of first-principles calculations, the catalytic activities of WX2 (X=S, Se, Te) monolayers in the 1T' phase with both vacancy defects (missing chalcogen atoms, X Vd ) and antisite defects (replacing chalcogen atoms with W atoms, X Ad ) were evaluated for the nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR). Results showed that all these defective catalysts had great potential toward electrocatalytic ammonia synthesis by exhibiting low limiting potentials (UL ). Over 1T'-WTe2 @Te Vd , 1T'-WS2 @S Ad , 1T'-WSe2 @Se Ad , and 1T'-WTe2 @Te Ad , the corresponding UL values were -0.49, -0.21, -0.19, and -0.15 V, much smaller than that of the benchmark catalyst, the Ru (0001) surface (UL =-0.98 V). Furthermore, the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) was inhibited. 1T'-WX2 monolayers with the antisite defects showed better NRR activity than those with the vacancy defects because of the smaller steric hindrance at the former. Results suggest that the steric effect at the active surface sites should be utilized to develop better catalysts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mamutjan Tursun
- Frontier Institute of Science and Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710054, P. R. China
- Xinjiang Laboratory of Native Medicinal and Edible Plant Resources Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Environmental Sciences, Kashgar University Kashgar, Xinjiang, 844000, P. R. China
| | - Chao Wu
- Frontier Institute of Science and Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710054, P. R. China
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Wu Y, He C, Zhang W. "Capture-Backdonation-Recapture" Mechanism for Promoting N 2 Reduction by Heteronuclear Metal-Free Double-Atom Catalysts. J Am Chem Soc 2022; 144:9344-9353. [PMID: 35594427 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.2c01245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Facing the increasingly serious energy and environmental crisis, the development of heteronuclear metal-free double-atom catalysts is a potential strategy to realize efficient catalytic nitrogen reduction with low energy consumption and no pollution because it could combine the advantages of flexible active sites in double-atom catalysts while also being pollution-free and have high Faraday efficiency in metal-free catalysts simultaneously. However, according to the existing mechanism, the finite orbits of other nonmetallic atoms, except the boron atom, reduce the possibility of metal-free catalysis and hinder the development of heteronuclear metal-free double-atom catalysts. Herein, we propose a new "capture-backdonation-recapture" mechanism, which skillfully uses the electron capture-backdonation-recapture between boron, the substrate, and other nonmetallic elements to solve the above problems. Based on this mechanism, by means of the first-principle calculations, the material structure, adsorption energy, catalytic activity, and selectivity of 36 catalysts are systematically investigated to evaluate their catalytic performance. B-Si@BP1 and B-Si@BP3 are selected for their good catalytic performance and low limiting potentials of -0.14 and -0.10 V, respectively. Meanwhile, the "capture-backdonation-recapture" mechanism is also verified by analyzing the results of adsorption energy and electron transfer. Our work broadens the ideas and lays the theoretical foundation for the development of heteronuclear metal-free double-atom catalysts in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yibo Wu
- State Key Laboratory for Mechanical Behavior of Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, China
| | - Cheng He
- State Key Laboratory for Mechanical Behavior of Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, China
| | - Wenxue Zhang
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Chang'an University, Xi'an 710064, China
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Li R, Guo W. Screening of transition metal single-atom catalysts supported by a WS 2 monolayer for electrocatalytic nitrogen reduction reaction: insights from activity trend and descriptor. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2022; 24:13384-13398. [PMID: 35608279 DOI: 10.1039/d2cp01446g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
The electrocatalytic nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR), as an alternative green technology to the Haber-Bosch process, can efficiently synthesize ammonia under ambient conditions and has a reduced carbon footprint. Here we systematically investigate the NRR activity and selectivity of transition metal (TM) single-atom catalyst (SAC) anchored WS2 monolayers (TM@WS2) by means of first-principles calculations and microkinetic modeling. The construction of the reaction activity trend and the identification of an activity descriptor, namely *N2H adsorption energy, facilitate the efficient screening and rational design of SACs with high activity. Manipulating the adsorption strength of the pivotal *N2H intermediate is a potential strategy for enhancing NRR activity. Utilizing the limiting potential difference of NRR and the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) as a selectivity descriptor, we screen three SACs with excellent activity and selectivity toward NRR, i.e., Re@WS2, Os@WS2 and Ir@WS2 with favorable limiting potentials of -0.44 V, -0.38 V and -0.69 V. By using the explicit H9O4+ model, the kinetic barriers of the rate-determining steps (0.47 eV-1.15 eV) of the solvated proton transfer on the screened SACs are found to be moderate, indicative of a kinetically feasible process. Microkinetic modeling shows that the turnover frequencies of N2 reduction to NH3 on Re@WS2, Os@WS2 and Ir@WS2 are 1.52 × 105, 8.21 × 102 and 4.17 × 10-4 per s per site at 400 K, achieving fast reaction rates. The coexistence of empty and occupied 5d orbitals of candidate SACs is beneficial for σ donation and π* backdonation, endowing them with extraordinary N2 adsorption and activation. Moreover, the screened SACs possess good dispersity and thermodynamic stability. Our work provides a promising solution for the efficient screening and rational design of high-performance electrocatalysts toward the NRR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renyi Li
- Key Lab of Advanced Optoelectronic Quantum Architecture and Measurement (MOE), School of Physics, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Wei Guo
- Key Lab of Advanced Optoelectronic Quantum Architecture and Measurement (MOE), School of Physics, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China
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Ariyarathna IR, Duan C, Kulik HJ. Understanding the chemical bonding of ground and excited states of HfO and HfB with correlated wavefunction theory and density functional approximations. J Chem Phys 2022; 156:184113. [PMID: 35568536 DOI: 10.1063/5.0090128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Knowledge of the chemical bonding of HfO and HfB ground and low-lying electronic states provides essential insights into a range of catalysts and materials that contain Hf-O or Hf-B moieties. Here, we carry out high-level multi-reference configuration interaction theory and coupled cluster quantum chemical calculations on these systems. We compute full potential energy curves, excitation energies, ionization energies, electronic configurations, and spectroscopic parameters with large quadruple-ζ and quintuple-ζ quality correlation consistent basis sets. We also investigate equilibrium chemical bonding patterns and effects of correlating core electrons on property predictions. Differences in the ground state electron configuration of HfB(X4Σ-) and HfO(X1Σ+) lead to a significantly stronger bond in HfO than HfB, as judged by both dissociation energies and equilibrium bond distances. We extend our analysis to the chemical bonding patterns of the isovalent HfX (X = O, S, Se, Te, and Po) series and observe similar trends. We also note a linear trend between the decreasing value of the dissociation energy (De) from HfO to HfPo and the singlet-triplet energy gap (ΔES-T) of the molecule. Finally, we compare these benchmark results to those obtained using density functional theory (DFT) with 23 exchange-correlation functionals spanning multiple rungs of "Jacob's ladder." When comparing DFT errors to coupled cluster reference values on dissociation energies, excitation energies, and ionization energies of HfB and HfO, we observe semi-local generalized gradient approximations to significantly outperform more complex and high-cost functionals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isuru R Ariyarathna
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA
| | - Chenru Duan
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA
| | - Heather J Kulik
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA
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