High-performance artificial nitrogen fixation at ambient conditions using a metal-free electrocatalyst

Nature Communications
Weibin QiuXuping Sun

Abstract

Conversion of naturally abundant nitrogen to ammonia is a key (bio)chemical process to sustain life and represents a major challenge in chemistry and biology. Electrochemical reduction is emerging as a sustainable strategy for artificial nitrogen fixation at ambient conditions by tackling the hydrogen- and energy-intensive operations of the Haber-Bosch process. However, it is severely challenged by nitrogen activation and requires efficient catalysts for the nitrogen reduction reaction. Here we report that a boron carbide nanosheet acts as a metal-free catalyst for high-performance electrochemical nitrogen-to-ammonia fixation at ambient conditions. The catalyst can achieve a high ammonia yield of 26.57 μg h-1 mg-1cat. and a fairly high Faradaic efficiency of 15.95% at -0.75 V versus reversible hydrogen electrode, placing it among the most active aqueous-based nitrogen reduction reaction electrocatalysts. Notably, it also shows high electrochemical stability and excellent selectivity. The catalytic mechanism is assessed using density functional theory calculations.

References

Oct 28, 1996·Physical Review Letters·J P PerdewM Ernzerhof
Nov 7, 1996·Chemical Reviews·Barbara K. Burgess, David J. Lowe
May 15, 2003·Angewandte Chemie·Robert Schlögl
Feb 12, 2004·Chemical Reviews·Bruce A MacKay, Michael D Fryzuk
Sep 7, 2006·Journal of Computational Chemistry·Stefan Grimme
May 15, 2009·Chemical Reviews·Victor RoscaMarc T M Koper
Dec 8, 2011·Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics : PCCP·Egill SkúlasonJens K Nørskov
Jun 22, 2013·Nature Chemistry·K Cory Macleod, Patrick L Holland
Sep 21, 2013·Nature Communications·K Madhav ReddyM W Chen
May 8, 2014·Chemical Society Reviews·Cornelis J M van der HamDennis G H Hetterscheid
Jan 6, 2015·Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics : PCCP·Kurt KuglerMatthias Wessling
Sep 30, 2015·Nature·Ilija ČorićPatrick L Holland
Apr 23, 2016·Accounts of Chemical Research·Hiromasa TanakaKazunari Yoshizawa
Jul 12, 2017·Journal of the American Chemical Society·Gao-Feng ChenHaihui Wang
Feb 24, 2018·Science·Marc-André LégaréHolger Braunschweig

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Citations

Nov 2, 2018·Chemical Communications : Chem Comm·Ling ZhangXuping Sun
Mar 1, 2019·Chemical Communications : Chem Comm·Li XiaXuping Sun
Mar 19, 2019·Chemical Communications : Chem Comm·Xiaojuan ZhuXuping Sun
Mar 26, 2019·Chemical Communications : Chem Comm·Jinxiu ZhaoXuping Sun
Apr 2, 2019·Chemical Communications : Chem Comm·Ling ZhangXuping Sun
Apr 11, 2019·Chemical Communications : Chem Comm·Jinxiu ZhaoXuping Sun
Apr 18, 2019·Chemical Communications : Chem Comm·Rong ZhangXuping Sun
May 24, 2019·Chemistry : a European Journal·Lili ZhangHaihui Wang
Jun 4, 2019·Chemphyschem : a European Journal of Chemical Physics and Physical Chemistry·Mohd Riyaz, Neetu Goel
Oct 2, 2019·Chemical Society Reviews·Huilong FeiXiangfeng Duan
Sep 5, 2019·Membranes·Ioannis GaragounisMichael Stoukides
Nov 16, 2019·Chemical Communications : Chem Comm·Chengbo LiXuping Sun
Oct 9, 2019·Angewandte Chemie·Zhang ZhangZhen Zhou
Jan 18, 2020·Chemical Communications : Chem Comm·Tongwei WuXuping Sun
May 23, 2019·Angewandte Chemie·Sebastian Wendeborn
Jan 9, 2020·Dalton Transactions : an International Journal of Inorganic Chemistry·Yan ZhouJun Zhang
Mar 3, 2020·Chemical Communications : Chem Comm·Tong XuXuping Sun
Apr 8, 2020·Nanoscale·Xudong Wen, Jingqi Guan
Apr 24, 2020·Chemical Communications : Chem Comm·Wei FangQingyu Yan
Apr 8, 2020·Chemphyschem : a European Journal of Chemical Physics and Physical Chemistry·L YangBeibei Xiao
Mar 24, 2020·ChemSusChem·Xian-Wei LvZhong-Yong Yuan
May 21, 2020·Chemical Communications : Chem Comm·Jie WuPing Xu

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Methods Mentioned

BETA
X-ray
scanning
transmission electron microscopy
electron diffraction
electron microscopy

Software Mentioned

Material Studio
DMol
COSMO

Related Concepts

Trending Feeds

COVID-19

Coronaviruses encompass a large family of viruses that cause the common cold as well as more serious diseases, such as the ongoing outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19; formally known as 2019-nCoV). Coronaviruses can spread from animals to humans; symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath, and breathing difficulties; in more severe cases, infection can lead to death. This feed covers recent research on COVID-19.

Blastomycosis

Blastomycosis fungal infections spread through inhaling Blastomyces dermatitidis spores. Discover the latest research on blastomycosis fungal infections here.

Nuclear Pore Complex in ALS/FTD

Alterations in nucleocytoplasmic transport, controlled by the nuclear pore complex, may be involved in the pathomechanism underlying multiple neurodegenerative diseases including Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Dementia. Here is the latest research on the nuclear pore complex in ALS and FTD.

Applications of Molecular Barcoding

The concept of molecular barcoding is that each original DNA or RNA molecule is attached to a unique sequence barcode. Sequence reads having different barcodes represent different original molecules, while sequence reads having the same barcode are results of PCR duplication from one original molecule. Discover the latest research on molecular barcoding here.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a disease characterized by unexplained disabling fatigue; the pathology of which is incompletely understood. Discover the latest research on chronic fatigue syndrome here.

Evolution of Pluripotency

Pluripotency refers to the ability of a cell to develop into three primary germ cell layers of the embryo. This feed focuses on the mechanisms that underlie the evolution of pluripotency. Here is the latest research.

Position Effect Variegation

Position Effect Variagation occurs when a gene is inactivated due to its positioning near heterochromatic regions within a chromosome. Discover the latest research on Position Effect Variagation here.

STING Receptor Agonists

Stimulator of IFN genes (STING) are a group of transmembrane proteins that are involved in the induction of type I interferon that is important in the innate immune response. The stimulation of STING has been an active area of research in the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases. Here is the latest research on STING receptor agonists.

Microbicide

Microbicides are products that can be applied to vaginal or rectal mucosal surfaces with the goal of preventing, or at least significantly reducing, the transmission of sexually transmitted infections. Here is the latest research on microbicides.