Open AccessEfficient Visible Light Nitrogen Fixation with BiOBr Nanosheets of Oxygen Vacancies on the Exposed {001} Facets
Author(s) -
Hao Li,
Jian Ku Shang,
Zhihui Ai,
Lizhi Zhang
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
journal of the american chemical society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 7.115
H-Index - 612
eISSN - 1520-5126
pISSN - 0002-7863
DOI - 10.1021/jacs.5b03105
Subject(s) - chemistry , nitrogenase , oxygen , photochemistry , adsorption , catalysis , nitrogen fixation , visible spectrum , excited state , electron , atmospheric pressure , nitrogen , nanotechnology , chemical engineering , chemical physics , atomic physics , optoelectronics , organic chemistry , materials science , physics , oceanography , quantum mechanics , engineering , geology
Even though the well-established Haber-Bosch process has been the major artificial way to "fertilize" the earth, its energy-intensive nature has been motivating people to learn from nitrogenase, which can fix atmospheric N2 to NH3 in vivo under mild conditions with its precisely arranged proteins. Here we demonstrate that efficient fixation of N2 to NH3 can proceed under room temperature and atmospheric pressure in water using visible light illuminated BiOBr nanosheets of oxygen vacancies in the absence of any organic scavengers and precious-metal cocatalysts. The designed catalytic oxygen vacancies of BiOBr nanosheets on the exposed {001} facets, with the availability of localized electrons for π-back-donation, have the ability to activate the adsorbed N2, which can thus be efficiently reduced to NH3 by the interfacial electrons transferred from the excited BiOBr nanosheets. This study might open up a new vista to fix atmospheric N2 to NH3 through the less energy-demanding photochemical process.