Porous β-FeOOH nanotube stabilizing Au single atom for high-efficiency nitrogen fixation
Hao Sun, Hua‐Qing Yin, Wenxiong Shi, Lulu Yang, Xiangwei Guo, Hong Lin, Jiangwei Zhang, Tong‐Bu Lu, Zhiming Zhang
Abstract
Electrochemical nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR) under ambient conditions is highly desirable to achieve sustainable ammonia (NH3) production via an alternative carbon free strategy. Single-atom catalysts (SACs) with super high atomic utilization and catalytic efficiency exhibit great potential for NRR. Herein, a high-performance NRR SAC is facilely prepared via a simple deposition method to anchor Au single atoms onto porous β-FeOOH nanotubes. The resulting Au-SA/FeOOH can efficiently drive NRR under ambient conditions, and the NH3 yield reaches as high as 2,860 µg·h−1·mgAu−1 at −0.4 V vs. reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE) with 14.2% faradaic efficiency, much superior to those of all the reported Au-based electrocatalysts. Systematic investigations demonstrate that the synergy of much enhanced N2 adsorption, directional electron export, and mass transfer ability in Au-SA/FeOOH greatly contributes to the superior NRR activity. This work highlights a new insight into the design of high efficient NRR electrocatalysts by combination of porous metal oxide matrix and highly active single-atom sites.