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Greatly Enhanced Electrocatalytic N 2 Reduction on TiO 2 via V Doping
Author(s) -
Wu Tongwei,
Kong Wenhan,
Zhang Ya,
Xing Zhe,
Zhao Jinxiu,
Wang Ting,
Shi Xifeng,
Luo Yonglan,
Sun Xuping
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
small methods
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 4.66
H-Index - 46
ISSN - 2366-9608
DOI - 10.1002/smtd.201900356
Subject(s) - electrochemistry , dopant , nanorod , catalysis , reversible hydrogen electrode , anhydrous , aqueous solution , selectivity , doping , materials science , inorganic chemistry , electrocatalyst , lithium (medication) , chemistry , electrode , nanotechnology , organic chemistry , working electrode , medicine , optoelectronics , endocrinology
As a sustainable alternative technology to the Haber–Bosch process, electrochemical N 2 reduction offers the hope of directly converting N 2 to NH 3 at ambient conditions. However, its efficiency greatly depends on screening high‐active electrocatalysts for the N 2 reduction reaction (NRR). Here, the recent experimental finding that V is an effective dopant to greatly improve the NRR performances of TiO 2 toward ambient N 2 ‐to‐NH 3 fixation with excellent selectivity is reported. In 0.5 m anhydrous lithium perchlorate, V‐doped TiO 2 nanorods attain a high Faradic efficiency of 15.3% and a large NH 3 yield of 17.73 µg h −1 mg cat. −1 at −0.40 and −0.50 V versus reversible hydrogen electrode, respectively, rivaling the performances of most reported aqueous‐based NRR electrocatalysts. Density function theory (DFT) calculations are performed to gain further insight into the catalytic mechanism.