SCI和EI收录∣中国化工学会会刊

中国化学工程学报 ›› 2024, Vol. 65 ›› Issue (1): 268-275.DOI: 10.1016/j.cjche.2023.06.027

• Full Length Article • 上一篇    下一篇

Active MoS2-based electrode for green ammonia synthesis

Xin Liu1, Lei Yang1, Tao Wei1, Shanping Liu2, Beibei Xiao1,2   

  1. 1 School of Energy and Power Engineering, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang 212003, China;
    2 Institute Charles Gerhardt Montpellier, UMR-5253, Université de Montpellier, CNRS, ENSCM, Place E. Bataillon, 34095 Montpellier Cedex 05, France
  • 收稿日期:2023-03-28 修回日期:2023-06-08 出版日期:2024-01-28 发布日期:2024-04-17
  • 通讯作者: Beibei Xiao,Tel.:+86 137 7535 8009. E-mail:xiaobb11@mails.jlu.edu.cn
  • 基金资助:
    The authors greatly acknowledge the financial support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (21503097, 52130101, 51701152, 21806023, and 51702345) and China Scholarship Council (202008320215).

Active MoS2-based electrode for green ammonia synthesis

Xin Liu1, Lei Yang1, Tao Wei1, Shanping Liu2, Beibei Xiao1,2   

  1. 1 School of Energy and Power Engineering, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang 212003, China;
    2 Institute Charles Gerhardt Montpellier, UMR-5253, Université de Montpellier, CNRS, ENSCM, Place E. Bataillon, 34095 Montpellier Cedex 05, France
  • Received:2023-03-28 Revised:2023-06-08 Online:2024-01-28 Published:2024-04-17
  • Contact: Beibei Xiao,Tel.:+86 137 7535 8009. E-mail:xiaobb11@mails.jlu.edu.cn
  • Supported by:
    The authors greatly acknowledge the financial support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (21503097, 52130101, 51701152, 21806023, and 51702345) and China Scholarship Council (202008320215).

摘要: Nitrogen electro-reduction under mild conditions is one promising alternative approach of the energyconsuming Haber-Bosch process for the artificial ammonia synthesis. One critical aspect to unlocking this technology is to discover the catalysts with high selectivity and efficiency. In this work, the N2-to-NH3 conversion on the functional MoS2 is fully investigated by density functional theory calculations since the layered MoS2 provides the ideal platform for the elaborating copies of the nitrogenase found in nature, wherein the functionalization is achieved via basal-adsorption, basal-substitution or edge-substitution of transition metal elements. Our results reveal that the edge-functionalization is a feasible strategy for the activity promotion; however, the basal-adsorption and basal-substitution separately suffer from the electrochemical instability and the NRR inefficiency. Specifically, MoS2 functionalized via edge W-substitution exhibits an exceptional activity. The energetically favored reaction pathway is through the distal pathway and a limiting potential is less than 0.20 V. Overall, this work escalates the rational design of the high-effective catalysts for nitrogen fixation and provides the explanation why the predicated catalyst have a good performance, paving the guidance for the experiments.

关键词: Nitrogen reduction reaction, Density functional theory calculations, Molybdenum disulfide, Electrochemistry, Catalyst, Thermodynamics

Abstract: Nitrogen electro-reduction under mild conditions is one promising alternative approach of the energyconsuming Haber-Bosch process for the artificial ammonia synthesis. One critical aspect to unlocking this technology is to discover the catalysts with high selectivity and efficiency. In this work, the N2-to-NH3 conversion on the functional MoS2 is fully investigated by density functional theory calculations since the layered MoS2 provides the ideal platform for the elaborating copies of the nitrogenase found in nature, wherein the functionalization is achieved via basal-adsorption, basal-substitution or edge-substitution of transition metal elements. Our results reveal that the edge-functionalization is a feasible strategy for the activity promotion; however, the basal-adsorption and basal-substitution separately suffer from the electrochemical instability and the NRR inefficiency. Specifically, MoS2 functionalized via edge W-substitution exhibits an exceptional activity. The energetically favored reaction pathway is through the distal pathway and a limiting potential is less than 0.20 V. Overall, this work escalates the rational design of the high-effective catalysts for nitrogen fixation and provides the explanation why the predicated catalyst have a good performance, paving the guidance for the experiments.

Key words: Nitrogen reduction reaction, Density functional theory calculations, Molybdenum disulfide, Electrochemistry, Catalyst, Thermodynamics