Metal-tuned W18O49 for efficient electrocatalytic N2 reduction

Electrochemical N2 reduction (ENR) offers a promising route for NH3 production. To promote this kinetically sluggish process, the design and development of electrocatalysts with high performance, good durability, low cost, and earth abundance are highly demanded. Here, we report a facile approach fo...

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Main Authors: Yang, M, Huo, R, Shen, H, Xia, Q, Qiu, J, Robertson, AW, Li, X, Sun, Z
Format: Journal article
Language:English
Published: American Chemical Society 2020
Subjects:
_version_ 1797060882839109632
author Yang, M
Huo, R
Shen, H
Xia, Q
Qiu, J
Robertson, AW
Li, X
Sun, Z
author_facet Yang, M
Huo, R
Shen, H
Xia, Q
Qiu, J
Robertson, AW
Li, X
Sun, Z
author_sort Yang, M
collection OXFORD
description Electrochemical N2 reduction (ENR) offers a promising route for NH3 production. To promote this kinetically sluggish process, the design and development of electrocatalysts with high performance, good durability, low cost, and earth abundance are highly demanded. Here, we report a facile approach for the synthesis of metal-doped ultrafine W18O49 nanowires with significantly enhanced capability for electrocatalytic N2 reduction to produce NH3 within a wide pH range. In particular, the Mo-doped W18O49 catalyst can reduce N2 to NH3 with a faradaic efficiency approaching 12.1% at −0.2 V (versus the reversible hydrogen electrode, vs. RHE) and an NH3 yield rate of 5.3 μgNH3 h–1 mgcat.–1 at −0.5 V (vs. RHE) in 0.1 M Na2SO4, which is about two times higher than that of pristine W18O49. We find occurrence of strong electron transfer from Mo to W, which facilitates N2 adsorption and activation, thus accelerating the ENR to generate NH3. This work provides a simple and effective method to modify metal oxides for efficient electrochemical N2 fixation.
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spelling oxford-uuid:2e88efc3-b511-484b-baf5-6522a5deaabf2022-03-26T12:49:30ZMetal-tuned W18O49 for efficient electrocatalytic N2 reductionJournal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:2e88efc3-b511-484b-baf5-6522a5deaabfelectrolytes dopingcharge transfercatalystsmetalsEnglishSymplectic ElementsAmerican Chemical Society 2020Yang, MHuo, RShen, HXia, QQiu, JRobertson, AWLi, XSun, ZElectrochemical N2 reduction (ENR) offers a promising route for NH3 production. To promote this kinetically sluggish process, the design and development of electrocatalysts with high performance, good durability, low cost, and earth abundance are highly demanded. Here, we report a facile approach for the synthesis of metal-doped ultrafine W18O49 nanowires with significantly enhanced capability for electrocatalytic N2 reduction to produce NH3 within a wide pH range. In particular, the Mo-doped W18O49 catalyst can reduce N2 to NH3 with a faradaic efficiency approaching 12.1% at −0.2 V (versus the reversible hydrogen electrode, vs. RHE) and an NH3 yield rate of 5.3 μgNH3 h–1 mgcat.–1 at −0.5 V (vs. RHE) in 0.1 M Na2SO4, which is about two times higher than that of pristine W18O49. We find occurrence of strong electron transfer from Mo to W, which facilitates N2 adsorption and activation, thus accelerating the ENR to generate NH3. This work provides a simple and effective method to modify metal oxides for efficient electrochemical N2 fixation.
spellingShingle electrolytes doping
charge transfer
catalysts
metals
Yang, M
Huo, R
Shen, H
Xia, Q
Qiu, J
Robertson, AW
Li, X
Sun, Z
Metal-tuned W18O49 for efficient electrocatalytic N2 reduction
title Metal-tuned W18O49 for efficient electrocatalytic N2 reduction
title_full Metal-tuned W18O49 for efficient electrocatalytic N2 reduction
title_fullStr Metal-tuned W18O49 for efficient electrocatalytic N2 reduction
title_full_unstemmed Metal-tuned W18O49 for efficient electrocatalytic N2 reduction
title_short Metal-tuned W18O49 for efficient electrocatalytic N2 reduction
title_sort metal tuned w18o49 for efficient electrocatalytic n2 reduction
topic electrolytes doping
charge transfer
catalysts
metals
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