ZIF-Induced d-Band Modification in a Bimetallic Nanocatalyst: Achieving Over 44 % Efficiency in the Ambient Nitrogen Reduction Reaction

Howard Yi Fan Sim, Jaslyn Ru Ting Chen, Charlynn Sher Lin Koh, Hiang Kwee Lee, Xuemei Han, Gia Chuong Phan-Quang, Jing Yi Pang, Chee Leng Lay, Srikanth Pedireddy, In Yee Phang, Edwin Kok Lee Yeow, Xing Yi Ling*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

149 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The electrochemical nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR) offers a sustainable solution towards ammonia production but suffers poor reaction performance owing to preferential catalyst–H formation and the consequential hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Now, the Pt/Au electrocatalyst d-band structure is electronically modified using zeolitic imidazole framework (ZIF) to achieve a Faradaic efficiency (FE) of '44 % with high ammonia yield rate of '161 μg mgcat−1 h−1 under ambient conditions. The strategy lowers electrocatalyst d-band position to weaken H adsorption and concurrently creates electron-deficient sites to kinetically drive NRR by promoting catalyst–N2 interaction. The ZIF coating on the electrocatalyst doubles as a hydrophobic layer to suppress HER, further improving FE by '44-fold compared to without ZIF (ca. 1 %). The Pt/Au-NZIF interaction is key to enable strong N2 adsorption over H atom.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)16997-17003
Number of pages7
JournalAngewandte Chemie - International Edition
Volume59
Issue number39
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Sept 21 2020
Externally publishedYes

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim

ASJC Scopus Subject Areas

  • Catalysis
  • General Chemistry

Keywords

  • d-band modification
  • electrochemical nitrogen reduction reaction
  • interfacial cavities
  • metal–organic frameworks
  • solid@MOF nanoparticles

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