Advances in Materials and Applications of Inorganic Electrides

Electrides are materials in which electrons serve as anions. Here, the concept of inorganic electrides is extended in several respects: from ionic crystals to intermetallic compounds in host materials, from crystalline to amorphous solids, and from 0-dimensional to 1- and 2-dimensional materials in electron-confined spaces. In particular, 2D electrides, in which anionic electrons are sandwiched by cationic slabs, can form a bulk crystal of a 2-dimensional electron gas, thus exhibiting a large electron mobility and providing a platform for topological materials. Exploration of new electrides by computation and high pressure has advanced, revealing that an electride is a stable equilibrium phase of many elements and compounds under high pressure. This review describes the history and current status of electride research and next summarizes the chemical application of electrides and relevant materials. An emphasis is placed on catalysts for ammonia synthesis from N₂ and H₂ at mild conditions. This subject is accelerated by a demand for on-site ammonia synthesis using hydrogen produced by renewable energy sources. A wide applicability of electride for chemical reactions such selective hydrogenation and carbon-carbon coupling is shown by extending the concept of electrides. Finally, a view for the relationship between electrides and crystallographic voids and current issues are described.