Valence engineering at the interface of MoS2/Mo2C heterostructure for bionic nitrogen reductionShow others and affiliations
2023 (English)In: Chemical Engineering Journal, ISSN 1385-8947, E-ISSN 1873-3212, Vol. 452, article id 139515Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]
The natural nitrogenase is still the most efficient catalyst on earth to reduce the ambient N2 into ammonia. The central part of the molecular machine is powered by a metallic core, usually a molybdenum atom, whose co-ordination valence state remains an enigma for us to unveil and mimic. Unlike the flexible bio-enzyme, inorganic heterogeneous catalysts are usually rigid in the coordination structure, making their valence states invariable, except some localized defects. In this study, we successfully synthesized a two-dimensional MoS2/Mo2C elec-trocatalyst, which contains a heterostructured interface with efficient charge and magnetism separation, exhibiting a gradual and broad valence state transition from Mo4+ to Mo2+. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations reveal that Mo3+ sites at the interface have a strong N2 adsorption energy of -0.75 eV with the side -on configuration, and an activated hydrogenation of *NH2 species. This bionic electrocatalyst displays a splendid performance in nitrogen reduction reaction with a Faradic efficiency of 42 % at-0.1 V vs RHE.
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Elsevier BV , 2023. Vol. 452, article id 139515
Keywords [en]
MoS2, Mo2C heterostructure, Electrocatalysis, Bionic nitrogen fixation, Valence engineering, Magnetic separation
National Category
Materials Chemistry
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:kth:diva-321118DOI: 10.1016/j.cej.2022.139515ISI: 000869818800002Scopus ID: 2-s2.0-85139308475OAI: oai:DiVA.org:kth-321118DiVA, id: diva2:1709243
Note
QC 20221108
2022-11-082022-11-082022-11-08Bibliographically approved