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Ambient Electrochemical Synthesis of Ammonia from Nitrogen and Water Catalyzed by Flower‐Like Gold Microstructures
Author(s) -
Wang Ziqiang,
Li Yinghao,
Yu Hongjie,
Xu You,
Xue Hairong,
Li Xiaonian,
Wang Hongjing,
Wang Liang
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
chemsuschem
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.412
H-Index - 157
eISSN - 1864-564X
pISSN - 1864-5631
DOI - 10.1002/cssc.201801444
Subject(s) - ammonia production , catalysis , electrochemistry , ammonia , faraday efficiency , nitrogen , redox , chemical engineering , nanotechnology , materials science , yield (engineering) , chemistry , selectivity , microstructure , inorganic chemistry , electrode , organic chemistry , metallurgy , engineering
Electrochemical nitrogen reduction to ammonia is proposed as a promising alternative to the Haber–Bosch process because it can be driven by renewable electricity at ambient conditions. Currently, the development of such a process is hampered by the lack of efficient electrocatalysts for the nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR). Herein, we report a super‐rapid approach for the synthesis of flower‐like Au microstructures (Au flowers) within 5 s. The obtained Au structures are assembled by staggered nanoplates as building blocks, which provide abundant electrocatalytically active sites for the NRR. The Au flowers achieve a high performance (NH 3 yield: 25.57 μg h −1 mg cat. −1 ; faradaic efficiency: 6.05 %), 100 % selectivity (no N 2 H 4 production), and long‐term durability toward the electrochemical ammonia production. The work is highly valuable for the rapid synthesis of active catalysts for the NRR.