High-performance ammonia fixation electrocatalyzed by ReS2 nanosheet array

Abstract

The industrial-scale NH₃ production still heavily depends on the Haber–Bosch process, which not only demands high energy consumption but also emits a large amount of CO₂. The electrochemical fixation of N₂ to NH₃ under ambient conditions is regarded as an eco-friendly and sustainable approach, but stable and efficient electrocatalysts are demanded for the N₂ reduction reaction under ambient conditions. In this communication, ReS₂ nanosheet array on carbon cloth (ReS₂/CC) is first utilized in NRR. This ReS₂/CC exhibits high catalytic activity and strong long-term electrochemical durability. The Faraday efficiency of ReS₂/CC is 0.78% and the NH₃ yield of ReS₂/CC is 3.61 × 10⁻¹⁰ mol s⁻¹ cm⁻² at −0.4 V versus reversible hydrogen electrode in 0.1 M HCl.