Issue 4, 2019

Insights into defective TiO2 in electrocatalytic N2 reduction: combining theoretical and experimental studies

Abstract

Artificial N2 fixation via the Haber–Bosch process requires high temperature and high pressure at the expense of CO2 release. Electrochemical NH3 synthesis is emerging as an environmentally friendly alternative that operates under ambient conditions, calling for electrocatalysts with efficient N2 reduction reaction (NRR) performance. In this paper, we experimentally and theoretically prove that defective TiO2 on Ti mesh (d-TiO2/TM) acts as an electrocatalyst for the NRR. In 0.1 M HCl, d-TiO2/TM achieves a much higher NH3 yield of 1.24 × 10−10 mol s−1 cm−2 and FE of 9.17% at −0.15 V (versus reversible hydrogen electrode) than pristine TiO2 (NH3 yield: 0.17 × 10−10 mol s−1 cm−2; FE: 0.95%). Notably, d-TiO2/TM also shows great electrochemical stability and durability. Theoretical investigation further reveals the possible catalytic mechanism involved.

Graphical abstract: Insights into defective TiO2 in electrocatalytic N2 reduction: combining theoretical and experimental studies

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Communication
Submitted
27 nov. 2018
Accepted
29 déc. 2018
First published
02 janv. 2019

Nanoscale, 2019,11, 1555-1562

Insights into defective TiO2 in electrocatalytic N2 reduction: combining theoretical and experimental studies

L. Yang, T. Wu, R. Zhang, H. Zhou, L. Xia, X. Shi, H. Zheng, Y. Zhang and X. Sun, Nanoscale, 2019, 11, 1555 DOI: 10.1039/C8NR09564G

To request permission to reproduce material from this article, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements