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Sub‐3 nm Ultrafine Cu 2 O for Visible Light Driven Nitrogen Fixation
Author(s) -
Zhang Shuai,
Zhao Yunxuan,
Shi Run,
Zhou Chao,
Waterhouse Geoffrey I. N.,
Wang Zhuan,
Weng Yuxiang,
Zhang Tierui
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
angewandte chemie international edition
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.831
H-Index - 550
eISSN - 1521-3773
pISSN - 1433-7851
DOI - 10.1002/anie.202013594
Subject(s) - photocatalysis , visible spectrum , materials science , hydroxide , semiconductor , catalysis , nanotechnology , nuclear chemistry , inorganic chemistry , chemistry , optoelectronics , organic chemistry
Cu 2 O, a low‐cost, visible light responsive semiconductor photocatalyst represents an ideal candidate for visible light driven photocatalytic reduction of N 2 to NH 3 from the viewpoint of thermodynamics, but it remains unexplored. Reported here is the successful synthesis of uniformly sized and ultrafine Cu 2 O platelets, with a lateral size of <3 nm, by the in situ topotactic reduction of a Cu II ‐containing layered double hydroxide with ascorbic acid. The supported ultrafine Cu 2 O offered excellent performance and stability for the visible light driven photocatalytic reduction of N 2 to NH 3 (the Cu 2 O‐mass‐normalized rate as high as 4.10 mmol gCu2 O−1 h −1 at λ >400 nm), with the origin of the high activity being long‐lived photoexcited electrons in trap states, an abundance of exposed active sites, and the underlying support structure. This work guides the future design of ultrafine catalysts for NH 3 synthesis and other applications.