Issue 21, 2019

Sulfur dots–graphene nanohybrid: a metal-free electrocatalyst for efficient N2-to-NH3 fixation under ambient conditions

Abstract

NH3 is an important chemical with a wide range of applications, but its synthesis mainly relies upon the harsh Haber–Bosch process with huge CO2 emission. Electrochemical N2 reduction offers a carbon-neutral process to convert N2 to NH3 under ambient conditions, but it requires efficient and stable catalysts to drive the N2 reduction reaction. Herein, we report that a sulfur dots–graphene nanohybrid acts as a metal-free electrocatalyst for ambient N2-to-NH3 conversion with excellent selectivity. When operated in 0.5 M LiClO4, this electrocatalyst achieves a large NH3 yield of 28.56 μg h−1 mgcat.−1 and a high Faradaic efficiency of 7.07% at −0.85 V vs. reversible hydrogen electrode. Notably, it also shows good electrochemical stability.

Graphical abstract: Sulfur dots–graphene nanohybrid: a metal-free electrocatalyst for efficient N2-to-NH3 fixation under ambient conditions

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Communication
Submitted
18 Jan 2019
Accepted
18 Feb 2019
First published
19 Feb 2019

Chem. Commun., 2019,55, 3152-3155

Sulfur dots–graphene nanohybrid: a metal-free electrocatalyst for efficient N2-to-NH3 fixation under ambient conditions

H. Chen, X. Zhu, H. Huang, H. Wang, T. Wang, R. Zhao, H. Zheng, A. M. Asiri, Y. Luo and X. Sun, Chem. Commun., 2019, 55, 3152 DOI: 10.1039/C9CC00461K

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