Despite recent significant progress, the electrocatalytic nitrogen relief reaction (eNRR) still suffers from limited selectivity and activity. This is due to the super stability of the N≡N triple bond. Theoretical and experimental efforts have shown that electrocatalysts still face a significant challenge. to successfully ignite N2 and achieve the first protonation of N2 to shape NNH* in the velocity determination step (RDS).
One strategy to break the above limitation of eNRR is to involve multiple reactions in catalytic reactions, as well as catalytically active reactions in talented metalloenzymes. to bind protons (H*), which electrostatically activates the N2 molecule adsorbed through the Fe medium to the optimal state and supplies H* for N2 hydrogenation.
Such close collaboration between the steel center and its coordination atoms allows nitrogenase to achieve ultra-high activity and selectivity. Therefore, synergistic paints from various catalytic sites on the catalyst surface can be expected to particularly be able to eNRR activity and selectivity.
Recently, a study team led by Professor Tao Ling of Tianjin University, China, proposed to bring synergistic paintings out of multiple-reaction sites to triumph over limiting sustainable NH3 production. Here, a ruthenium-sulfur-carbon (Ru-S-C) catalyst as a prototype, the researchers demonstrated that the Ru/S dual site cooperates to catalyze eNRRs under ambient conditions.
Through the combination of theoretical calculations, in situ Raman spectroscopy, and experimental observations, the researchers demonstrated that such dual-site Ru/S cooperation greatly facilitated the activation and first protonation of N2 in the eNRR velocity determination step. As a result, the Ru-S-C catalyst showed particularly advanced eNRR functionality compared to the regime’s Ru-N-C catalyst, a single-site catalytic mechanism.
The specially designed two-site collaborative catalytic mechanism may be offering new opportunities to advance sustainable NH3 production.
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