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Exploiting Antisite Defects in FeWN2 Nanosheets for Enol Electro-oxidation Coupled with H2 Evolution at a Large
Zheng-Jie Chen1,2, Qiting Shao2, Jiajing Wu3
1Faculty of Materials Science and Energy Engineering, Shenzhen University of Advanced Technology, Shenzhen, 518107, China.
Angewandte Chemie (International Ed. in English)
|March 2, 2025
Summary
A novel FeWN2 electrocatalyst with antisite defects boosts hydrogen production via biomass electro-oxidation. This breakthrough achieves high current densities and efficiency, offering a sustainable alternative to traditional water electrolysis.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Electrochemistry
- Catalysis
Background:
- Biomass electro-oxidation is a promising alternative to water electrolysis for hydrogen production.
- Current systems face challenges in achieving industrial-scale current densities due to difficult bond cleavage.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a high-performance electrocatalyst for biomass electro-oxidation.
- To investigate the role of antisite defects in enhancing catalytic activity.
Main Methods:
- Synthesis of a ternary layer nitride FeWN2 electrocatalyst with abundant antisite defects (ASDs).
- Electrocatalytic performance testing for ascorbic acid (AA) oxidation in a two-electrode electrolyzer.
- Theoretical calculations to understand the mechanism of ASDs on catalytic efficiency.
Main Results:
- The FeWN2 catalyst achieved a current density of 2.5 A cm⁻² at 0.69 V and 4 A cm⁻² at 1.12 V.
- 100% Faraday efficiency for H2 production was observed at 60 °C.
- Theoretical calculations confirmed that ASDs optimize the adsorption strength for efficient AA-to-DHA conversion.
Conclusions:
- FeWN2 electrocatalyst with ASDs significantly enhances biomass electro-oxidation for hydrogen production.
- The study provides insights into designing high-performance organic oxidation catalysts using ASDs.
- This work paves the way for more efficient and sustainable hydrogen generation technologies.
