Co-Doped Fe3S4Nanoflowers for Boosting Electrocatalytic Nitrogen Fixation to Ammonia under Mild Conditions

• Compared with the Haber Bosch process, the electrochemical nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR) under mild conditions provides an alternative and promising route for ammonia synthesis due to its green and sustainable features. However, the great energy barrier to break the stable NN bond hinders the practical application of NRR. Though Fe is the only common metal element in all biological nitrogenases in nature, there is still a lack of study on developing highly efficient and low-cost Fe-based catalysts for N2fixation. Herein, Co-doped Fe3S4nanoflowers were fabricated as the intended catalyst for NRR. The results indicate that 4% Co-doped Fe3S4nanoflowers achieve a high Faradaic efficiency of 17% and a NH3yield rate of 37.5 μg·h-1·mg-1cat.at-0.55 V versus RHE potential in 0.1 M HCl, which is superior to most Fe-based catalysts. The introduction of Co atoms can not only shift the partial density states of Fe3S4toward the Fermi level but also serve as new active centers to promote N2absorption, lowering the energy barrier of the potential determination step to accelerate the catalytic process. This work paves a pathway of the morphology and doping engineering for Fe-based electrocatalysts to enhance ammonia synthesis.

Subject headings

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Kemi -- Oorganisk kemi (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Chemical Sciences -- Inorganic Chemistry (hsv//eng)

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)