Issue 27, 2019

Ambient electrohydrogenation of N2 for NH3 synthesis on non-metal boron phosphide nanoparticles: the critical role of P in boosting the catalytic activity

Abstract

As a carbon-neutral alternative to the Haber–Bosch process, electrochemical N2 reduction enables environment-friendly NH3 synthesis under ambient conditions but needs active electrocatalysts for the N2 reduction reaction (NRR). In this communication, we report on the first experimental demonstration that non-metal boron phosphide (BP) nanoparticles can be used as a high-efficiency catalyst for the ambient electrohydrogenation of N2 to NH3 with excellent selectivity. In 0.1 M HCl, this catalyst offers a high NH3 yield of 26.42 μg h−1 mgcat.−1 and a high faradaic efficiency of 12.7% at −0.60 V vs. the reversible hydrogen electrode, much superior to those of reported B catalysts. Such an enhancement is attributed to the fact that P in BP further weakens the N[triple bond, length as m-dash]N bond while simultaneously strengthening the B–N bond and favors the exposure of more active sites for the NRR catalysis, which is supported by density functional theory calculations.

Graphical abstract: Ambient electrohydrogenation of N2 for NH3 synthesis on non-metal boron phosphide nanoparticles: the critical role of P in boosting the catalytic activity

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Communication
Submitted
13 May 2019
Accepted
18 Jun 2019
First published
19 Jun 2019

J. Mater. Chem. A, 2019,7, 16117-16121

Ambient electrohydrogenation of N2 for NH3 synthesis on non-metal boron phosphide nanoparticles: the critical role of P in boosting the catalytic activity

X. Zhu, T. Wu, L. Ji, C. Li, T. Wang, S. Wen, S. Gao, X. Shi, Y. Luo, Q. Peng and X. Sun, J. Mater. Chem. A, 2019, 7, 16117 DOI: 10.1039/C9TA05016G

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