Al-Decorated C<sub>2</sub>N Monolayer as a Potential Catalyst for NO Reduction with CO Molecules: A DFT Investigation

Developing efficient and economical catalysts for NO reduction is of great interest. Herein, the catalytic reduction of NO molecules on an Al-decorated C<sub>2</sub>N monolayer (Al-C<sub>2</sub>N) is systematically investigated using density functional theory (DFT) calculatio...

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Main Authors: Xinmiao Liu, Yunjie Xu, Li Sheng
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2022-09-01
Series:Molecules
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/27/18/5790
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author Xinmiao Liu
Yunjie Xu
Li Sheng
author_facet Xinmiao Liu
Yunjie Xu
Li Sheng
author_sort Xinmiao Liu
collection DOAJ
description Developing efficient and economical catalysts for NO reduction is of great interest. Herein, the catalytic reduction of NO molecules on an Al-decorated C<sub>2</sub>N monolayer (Al-C<sub>2</sub>N) is systematically investigated using density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Our results reveal that the Al-C<sub>2</sub>N catalyst is highly selective for NO, more so than CO, according to the values of the adsorption energy and charge transfer. The NO reduction reaction more preferably undergoes the (NO)<sub>2</sub> dimer reduction process instead of the NO direct decomposition process. For the (NO)<sub>2</sub> dimer reduction process, two NO molecules initially co-adsorb to form (NO)<sub>2</sub> dimers, followed by decomposition into N<sub>2</sub>O and O<sub>ads</sub> species. On this basis, five kinds of (NO)<sub>2</sub> dimer structures that initiate four reaction paths are explored on the Al-C<sub>2</sub>N surface. Particularly, the cis-(NO)<sub>2</sub> dimer structures (D<sub>cis-N</sub> and D<sub>cis-O</sub>) are crucial intermediates for NO reduction, where the max energy barrier along the energetically most favorable pathway (path II) is as low as 3.6 kcal/mol. The remaining O<sub>ads</sub> species on Al-C<sub>2</sub>N are then easily reduced with CO molecules, being beneficial for a new catalytic cycle. These results, combined with its low-cost nature, render Al-C<sub>2</sub>N a promising catalyst for NO reduction under mild conditions.
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spelling doaj.art-556d2aa1c0d54a0798b698e82822da9b2023-11-23T17:58:55ZengMDPI AGMolecules1420-30492022-09-012718579010.3390/molecules27185790Al-Decorated C<sub>2</sub>N Monolayer as a Potential Catalyst for NO Reduction with CO Molecules: A DFT InvestigationXinmiao Liu0Yunjie Xu1Li Sheng2MIIT Key Laboratory of Critical Materials Technology for New Energy Conversion and Storage, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, ChinaMIIT Key Laboratory of Critical Materials Technology for New Energy Conversion and Storage, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, ChinaMIIT Key Laboratory of Critical Materials Technology for New Energy Conversion and Storage, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, ChinaDeveloping efficient and economical catalysts for NO reduction is of great interest. Herein, the catalytic reduction of NO molecules on an Al-decorated C<sub>2</sub>N monolayer (Al-C<sub>2</sub>N) is systematically investigated using density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Our results reveal that the Al-C<sub>2</sub>N catalyst is highly selective for NO, more so than CO, according to the values of the adsorption energy and charge transfer. The NO reduction reaction more preferably undergoes the (NO)<sub>2</sub> dimer reduction process instead of the NO direct decomposition process. For the (NO)<sub>2</sub> dimer reduction process, two NO molecules initially co-adsorb to form (NO)<sub>2</sub> dimers, followed by decomposition into N<sub>2</sub>O and O<sub>ads</sub> species. On this basis, five kinds of (NO)<sub>2</sub> dimer structures that initiate four reaction paths are explored on the Al-C<sub>2</sub>N surface. Particularly, the cis-(NO)<sub>2</sub> dimer structures (D<sub>cis-N</sub> and D<sub>cis-O</sub>) are crucial intermediates for NO reduction, where the max energy barrier along the energetically most favorable pathway (path II) is as low as 3.6 kcal/mol. The remaining O<sub>ads</sub> species on Al-C<sub>2</sub>N are then easily reduced with CO molecules, being beneficial for a new catalytic cycle. These results, combined with its low-cost nature, render Al-C<sub>2</sub>N a promising catalyst for NO reduction under mild conditions.https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/27/18/5790NO catalytic reductionC<sub>2</sub>N monolayerAl-C<sub>2</sub>N catalystnitric oxideDFT calculation
spellingShingle Xinmiao Liu
Yunjie Xu
Li Sheng
Al-Decorated C<sub>2</sub>N Monolayer as a Potential Catalyst for NO Reduction with CO Molecules: A DFT Investigation
Molecules
NO catalytic reduction
C<sub>2</sub>N monolayer
Al-C<sub>2</sub>N catalyst
nitric oxide
DFT calculation
title Al-Decorated C<sub>2</sub>N Monolayer as a Potential Catalyst for NO Reduction with CO Molecules: A DFT Investigation
title_full Al-Decorated C<sub>2</sub>N Monolayer as a Potential Catalyst for NO Reduction with CO Molecules: A DFT Investigation
title_fullStr Al-Decorated C<sub>2</sub>N Monolayer as a Potential Catalyst for NO Reduction with CO Molecules: A DFT Investigation
title_full_unstemmed Al-Decorated C<sub>2</sub>N Monolayer as a Potential Catalyst for NO Reduction with CO Molecules: A DFT Investigation
title_short Al-Decorated C<sub>2</sub>N Monolayer as a Potential Catalyst for NO Reduction with CO Molecules: A DFT Investigation
title_sort al decorated c sub 2 sub n monolayer as a potential catalyst for no reduction with co molecules a dft investigation
topic NO catalytic reduction
C<sub>2</sub>N monolayer
Al-C<sub>2</sub>N catalyst
nitric oxide
DFT calculation
url https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/27/18/5790
work_keys_str_mv AT xinmiaoliu aldecoratedcsub2subnmonolayerasapotentialcatalystfornoreductionwithcomoleculesadftinvestigation
AT yunjiexu aldecoratedcsub2subnmonolayerasapotentialcatalystfornoreductionwithcomoleculesadftinvestigation
AT lisheng aldecoratedcsub2subnmonolayerasapotentialcatalystfornoreductionwithcomoleculesadftinvestigation