Novel confinement of Mn3O4 nanoparticles on two-dimensional carbide enabling high-performance electrochemical synthesis of ammonia under ambient conditions

Key Words:ARTIFICIAL N-2 FIXATION; NITROGEN-FIXATION; EFFICIENT; NH3; ELECTROCATALYST; NANOSHEETS; REDUCTION; COMPOSITE; FOAM
Abstract:To date, the application of electrochemical nitrogen fixation into ammonia is severely hindered by the deficiency of high-performance electrocatalysts. In this paper, a facile approach is proposed for the preparation of MXene/Mn3O4 composite catalyst, where Mn3O4 nanoparticles are anchored tightly on the MXene nanosheets through van der Waals interactions. The obtained composite catalyst exhibiting powerful synergetic effect is able to provide abundant active sites for nitrogen reduction reaction. The introduction of MXene nanosheets dramatically improves the N-2 adsorption and charge transfer. When operated in 0.1M Na2SO4 aqueous media, MXene/Mn3O4 achieves a proper Faradaic efficiency of 5.51% and superior NH3 yield rate of 25.95 mu g h(-1) mgcat.(-1) at -0.5 V under ambient conditions, outperforming either of individual components. Notably, this composite catalyst delivers superb stability, durability and selectivity as well.
Volume:396
Issue:NO
Translation or Not:no