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Research Article

Fe2Mo3O8/XC-72 electrocatalyst for enhanced electrocatalytic nitrogen reduction reaction under ambient conditions

Guohua Liu1, Lijuan Niu1, Zhixue Ma1, Li An1( ), Dan Qu1, Dandan Wang2, Xiayan Wang1, Zaicheng Sun1( )
Beijing Key Laboratory for Green Catalysis and Separation, Center of Excellence for Environmental Safety and Biological Effects, Faculty of Environment and Life, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China
Key Laboratory of Functional Materials Physics and Chemistry of the Ministry of Education, Jilin Normal University, Changchun 130103, China
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Graphical Abstract

An efficient nanorod-like Fe2Mo3O8/XC-72 electrocatalyst was synthesized and exhibited advanced electrocatalytic activity, selectivity, and durability for electrochemical N2 to NH3 under ambient conditions.

Abstract

To perform the electrochemical nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR) under milder conditions for sustainable ammonia production, electrocatalysts should exhibit high selectivity, activity, and durability. However, the key restrictions are the highly stable N≡N triple bond and the competitive hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), which make it difficult to adsorb and activate N2 on the surface of electrocatalysts, leading to a low ammonia yield and Faraday efficiency. Inspired by the enzymatic nitrogenase process and using the Fe-Mo as the active center, here we report supported Fe2Mo3O8/XC-72 as an effective and durable electrocatalyst for the NRR. Fe2Mo3O8/XC-72 exhibited NRR activity with an NH3 yield of 30.4 μg·h−1·mg−1 (−0.3 V) and a Faraday efficiency of 8.2% (−0.3 V). Theoretical calculations demonstrated that the electrocatalytic nitrogen fixation mechanism involved the Fe atom in the Fe2Mo3O8/XC-72 electrocatalyst acting as the main active site in the enzymatic pathway (*NH2 → *NH3), which activated nitrogen molecules and promoted the NRR performance.

Keywords

nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR)Fe2Mo3O8/XC-72 electrocatalyst density functional theory calculations

Electronic Supplementary Material

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Nano Research
Volume 15 Issue 7,
July 2022
Pages 5940-5945
DOI: 10.1007/s12274-022-4262-1
Cite this article:
Liu G, Niu L, Ma Z, et al. Fe2Mo3O8/XC-72 electrocatalyst for enhanced electrocatalytic nitrogen reduction reaction under ambient conditions. Nano Research, 2022, 15(7): 5940-5945. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12274-022-4262-1
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Electrocatalysts

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Received: 18 December 2021
Revised: 18 February 2022
Accepted: 21 February 2022
Published: 29 March 2022
© Tsinghua University Press 2022
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