Boosted ammonium production by single cobalt atom catalysts with high Faradic efficiencies

Area of Science:

• Catalysis
• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry

Background:

• Efficient nitrogen compound reduction relies on activating nitrogen-oxygen bonds, which is challenging.
• The design of active sites in single-atom catalysts (SACs) is critical for catalytic performance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel single-atom catalyst (SAC) for enhanced nitrogen-oxygen bond activation.
• To investigate the effect of phosphorus doping on cobalt active sites for catalytic reduction.
• To improve the efficiency and yield rate of ammonia synthesis.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a single-atom catalyst (SAC) with phosphorus anchored on a cobalt active center.
• Utilizing the catalyst for the hydrogenation and reduction of nitrogen compounds.
• Characterization of the catalyst's active sites and performance evaluation.

Main Results:

• The phosphorus-doped discontinuous active sites demonstrated superior nitrogen-oxygen bond activation compared to conventional sites.
• Achieved a high Faradic efficiency of 92.0% for the catalytic reduction process.
• Obtained a maximum ammonia yield rate of 433.3 μg NH4·h⁻¹·cm⁻².

Conclusions:

• Heteroatom modification, specifically phosphorus doping, significantly enhances the atom efficiency of SACs.
• The developed catalyst provides a promising pathway for efficient ammonia synthesis.
• This approach offers guidance for designing future functional SACs for diverse applications.