Synergistic Al-Al Dual-Atomic Site for Efficient Artificial Nitrogen Fixation.

Area of Science:

• Electrochemistry
• Catalysis
• Materials Science

Background:

• Electrochemical nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR) offers a sustainable alternative to the Haber-Bosch process for ammonia synthesis.
• High activation energy remains a significant challenge for efficient NRR.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and synthesize a novel dual atomic catalyst for enhanced electrochemical nitrogen reduction.
• To investigate the catalytic mechanism and performance of the new catalyst.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of an aluminum-bonded dual atomic catalyst (Al2NC) within a nitrogen-doped porous carbon matrix.
• Electrochemical characterization to evaluate Faradaic efficiency and yield rate.
• Analysis of catalytic stability and repeatability.

Main Results:

• The Al2NC catalyst demonstrated a high Faradaic efficiency of 16.56±0.3% and a yield rate of 29.22±1.2 μg h⁻¹ mg⁻¹.
• The dual atomic Al2 sites synergistically facilitated NRR by enhancing adsorption, activation, and proton-coupled electron transfer.
• The catalyst exhibited long-term, repeatable, and stable NRR performance.

Conclusions:

• The developed Al2NC catalyst effectively addresses the high activation energy barrier in NRR.
• Synergistic dual atomic sites offer a promising strategy for designing efficient electrocatalysts for ammonia synthesis.
• This work provides insights into the catalytic mechanisms for electrochemical N2 to NH3 conversion.