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Ambient Electrochemical N 2 Reduction to NH 3 on Nitrogen and Phosphorus Co‐doped Porous Carbon with Trace Iron in Alkaline Electrolytes
Author(s) -
Song Pengfei,
Wang Hao,
Cao Xuemei,
Liu Na,
Wang Qian,
Wang Rongmin
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
chemelectrochem
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.182
H-Index - 59
ISSN - 2196-0216
DOI - 10.1002/celc.201901786
Subject(s) - electrocatalyst , electrochemistry , inorganic chemistry , aqueous solution , redox , chemistry , catalysis , faraday efficiency , electrolyte , carbon fibers , fourier transform infrared spectroscopy , ammonia , materials science , electrode , chemical engineering , organic chemistry , composite material , composite number , engineering
The electrocatalytic N 2 reduction reaction (NRR) provides an environmentally benign approach for NH 3 production that can be powered by renewable energy. It remains a challenge to understand the NRR mechanism and develop highly chemically active and selective yet low‐cost electrocatalysts. Herein, we report that N, P co‐doped porous carbon (NPC) with trace Fe (0.028 wt%) (Fe‐NPC) can serve as an electrocatalyst for the NRR in NaOH aqueous solution under ambient conditions. The Fe‐NPC catalyst exhibits significantly enhanced NRR activity compared with NPC, owing to the N, P co‐doped effect and trace Fe species active sites in the carbon material. The highest faradaic efficiency and ammonia yield of Fe‐NPC at −0.1 V vs. RHE reached 5.3 % and 4.36 μg h −1 mg −1 cat . Furthermore, the electrochemical reaction mechanism on the Fe‐NPC electrode was investigated by electrochemical in situ Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and suggested an associative pathway.