Volume 243, 2023

Advancing electrocatalytic nitrogen fixation: insights from molecular systems

Abstract

Nitrogen fixation has a rich history within the inorganic chemistry community. In recent years attention has (re)focused on developing electrocatalytic systems capable of mediating the nitrogen reduction reaction (N2RR). Well-defined molecular catalyst systems have much to offer in this context. This personal perspective summarizes recent progress from our laboratory at Caltech, pulling together lessons learned from a number of studies we have conducted, placing them within the broader context of thermodynamic efficiency and selectivity for the N2RR. In particular, proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) provides an attractive strategy to achieve enhanced efficiency for the multi-electron/proton reduction of N2 to produce NH3 (or NH4+), and electrocatalytic PCET (ePCET) via an ePCET mediator affords a promising means of mitigating HER such that the N2RR can be achieved in a catalytic fashion.

Graphical abstract: Advancing electrocatalytic nitrogen fixation: insights from molecular systems

Associated articles

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
27 jan 2023
Accepted
07 feb 2023
First published
06 apr 2023

Faraday Discuss., 2023,243, 450-472

Author version available

Advancing electrocatalytic nitrogen fixation: insights from molecular systems

J. C. Peters, Faraday Discuss., 2023, 243, 450 DOI: 10.1039/D3FD00017F

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