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Identification of M‐NH 2 ‐NH 2 Intermediate and Rate Determining Step for Nitrogen Reduction with Bioinspired Sulfur‐Bonded FeW Catalyst
Author(s) -
Zhao Yilong,
Li Fusheng,
Li Wenlong,
Li Yingzheng,
Liu Chang,
Zhao Ziqi,
Shan Yu,
Ji Yongfei,
Sun Licheng
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.202104918
Subject(s) - catalysis , bimetallic strip , chemistry , sulfur , inorganic chemistry , sulfide , hydrogen sulfide , ammonia , ammonia production , sulfite , hydrazine (antidepressant) , nitrogen , raman spectroscopy , organic chemistry , physics , optics , chromatography
The multimetallic sulfur‐framework catalytic site of biological nitrogenases allows the efficient conversion of dinitrogen (N 2 ) to ammonia (NH 3 ) under ambient conditions. Inspired by biological nitrogenases, a bimetallic sulfide material (FeWS x @FeWO 4 ) was synthesized as a highly efficient N 2 reduction (NRR) catalyst by sulfur substitution of the surface of FeWO 4 nanoparticles. Thus prepared FeWS x @FeWO 4 catalysts exhibit a relatively high NH 3 production rate of 30.2 ug h −1 mg −1 cat and a Faraday efficiency of 16.4 % at −0.45 V versus a reversible hydrogen electrode in a flow cell; these results have been confirmed via purified 15 N 2 ‐isotopic labeling experiments. In situ Raman spectra and hydrazine reduction kinetics analysis revealed that the reduction of undissociated hydrazine intermediates (M‐NH 2 ‐NH 2 ) on the surface of the bimetallic sulfide catalyst is the rate‐determing step for the NRR process. Therefore, this work can provide guidance for elucidating the structure–activity relationship of NRR catalysts.