A Janus antimony sulfide catalyst for highly selective N₂ electroreduction.

Area of Science:

• Electrochemistry
• Materials Science
• Catalysis

Background:

• The nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR) is crucial for sustainable ammonia production.
• Developing efficient and selective electrocatalysts for NRR remains a significant challenge.
• Antimony sulfide (Sb2S3) has not been previously explored for NRR applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate antimony sulfide (Sb2S3) as a novel Janus catalyst for the nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR).
• To evaluate the catalytic performance, selectivity, and ammonia yield of Sb2S3 nanoflowers.
• To elucidate the mechanism behind the high NRR selectivity using theoretical calculations.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of Sb2S3 nanoflower structures.
• Electrochemical characterization of Sb2S3 for NRR.
• Ammonia yield and faradaic efficiency measurements.
• Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations to understand catalytic mechanisms.

Main Results:

• Sb2S3 nanoflowers exhibited excellent selectivity for NRR.
• Achieved a faradaic efficiency of 24.1% and an ammonia yield of 33.4 μg h⁻¹ mg⁻¹ at -0.3 V.
• Theoretical calculations confirmed the Janus role of Sb centers in activating N2 and suppressing hydrogen evolution.

Conclusions:

• Sb2S3 demonstrates significant potential as a Janus catalyst for highly selective electrochemical NRR.
• The unique electronic structure of Sb centers facilitates N2 activation and hinders hydrogen evolution.
• This study opens new avenues for designing advanced catalysts for sustainable ammonia synthesis.