The built-in electric field across FeN/Fe3N interface for efficient electrochemical reduction of CO2 to CO
Jie Yin, Jing Jin, Zhouyang Yin, Liu Zhu, Xin Du, Yong Peng, Pinxian Xi, Chun‐Hua Yan, Shouheng Sun
Abstract
Abstract Nanostructured metal-nitrides have attracted tremendous interest as a new generation of catalysts for electroreduction of CO 2 , but these structures have limited activity and stability in the reduction condition. Herein, we report a method of fabricating FeN/Fe 3 N nanoparticles with FeN/Fe 3 N interface exposed on the NP surface for efficient electrochemical CO 2 reduction reaction (CO 2 RR). The FeN/Fe 3 N interface is populated with Fe−N 4 and Fe−N 2 coordination sites respectively that show the desired catalysis synergy to enhance the reduction of CO 2 to CO. The CO Faraday efficiency reaches 98% at −0.4 V vs. reversible hydrogen electrode, and the FE stays stable from −0.4 to −0.9 V during the 100 h electrolysis time period. This FeN/Fe 3 N synergy arises from electron transfer from Fe 3 N to FeN and the preferred CO 2 adsorption and reduction to *COOH on FeN. Our study demonstrates a reliable interface control strategy to improve catalytic efficiency of the Fe–N structure for CO 2 RR.