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Managing the Nitrogen Cycle via Plasmonic (Photo)Electrocatalysis: Toward Circular Economy
Mohammadreza Nazemi1, Mostafa A El-Sayed1
1School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332-0400, United States.
Accounts of Chemical Research
|November 1, 2021
Summary
Developing cost-effective chemical energy storage is crucial for renewable energy. This study explores novel nanocatalysts for artificial nitrogen fixation, enabling sustainable chemical synthesis and a circular nitrogen economy.
Area of Science:
- Renewable energy storage and chemical synthesis.
- Sustainable chemistry and catalysis.
- Electrochemical and photochemical energy conversion.
Background:
- Renewable energy sources are intermittent, necessitating efficient storage and transport solutions.
- The chemical industry's reliance on fossil fuels requires a sustainable, electrified alternative.
- Artificial nitrogen fixation offers a cleaner route to essential chemicals compared to traditional methods.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop cost-effective, modular systems for industrial-scale renewable energy storage.
- To advance (photo)electrochemical nitrogen fixation using novel heterogeneous catalysts.
- To elucidate reaction mechanisms for improved catalyst design and efficiency.
Main Methods:
- Synthesis of shape-controlled hybrid plasmonic nanoparticles (e.g., plasmonic-semiconductor, plasmonic-transition metal).
- Benchmarking nanocatalyst activity and selectivity in liquid- and gas-phase electrochemical systems.
- Utilizing *operando* surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) for mechanistic studies.
Main Results:
- Demonstrated enhanced optoelectronic and catalytic properties of hybrid plasmonic photocatalysts.
- *Operando* SERS revealed an associative mechanism for nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR) to ammonia on Pd-Ag nanoparticles, involving hydrazine intermediates.
- Identified key factors for improving selectivity and activity in electrochemical nitrogen fixation.
Conclusions:
- Hybrid plasmonic nanomaterials show promise for efficient (photo)electrochemical nitrogen fixation.
- Mechanistic insights from SERS aid in designing superior catalysts for sustainable chemical production.
- This work contributes to modular photoelectrochemical systems for energy storage and a circular nitrogen economy.
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