Synergistically Activating N₂ and CO₂ at Water Microdroplet Interfaces

Area of Science:

• Chemistry
• Environmental Science
• Materials Science

Background:

• Nitrogen fixation is vital but energy-intensive, contributing to CO₂ emissions.
• Atmospheric CO₂ levels necessitate scalable mitigation strategies.
• Microdroplets offer unique environments for chemical reactions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate simultaneous N₂ and CO₂ activation under ambient conditions.
• To explore sustainable methods for N₂ fixation and CO₂ utilization.
• To elucidate reaction mechanisms in microdroplet environments.

Main Methods:

• Simultaneous spontaneous activation of N₂ and CO₂ in microdroplets.
• Isotopic labeling experiments for product confirmation.
• Theoretical calculations for mechanistic insights.

Main Results:

• Production of ammonium (NH₄⁺), nitrite (NO₂^-), and formate (HCO₂^-) from N₂ and CO₂.
• Synergistic enhancement of N₂ and CO₂ activation in microdroplets.
• Identification of CO₂-facilitated and oxygen radical-mediated N₂ fixation pathways.

Conclusions:

• A novel, sustainable pathway for green N₂ fixation and CO₂ utilization is demonstrated.
• Microdroplets enable efficient N₂ and CO₂ conversion under ambient conditions.
• Findings provide insights into atmospheric HONO formation.