Electrocatalytic and Photocatalytic N<sub>2</sub> Fixation Using Carbon Catalysts
Carbon catalysts have shown promise as an alternative to the currently available energy-intensive approaches for nitrogen fixation (NF) to urea, NH<sub>3</sub>, or related nitrogenous compounds. The primary challenges for NF are the natural inertia of nitrogenous molecules and the compet...
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2025-01-01
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| Series: | Nanomaterials |
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| author | Changchun Xu Hongli Su Shuaifei Zhao Azadeh Nilghaz Kunning Tang Luxiang Ma Zhuo Zou |
| author_facet | Changchun Xu Hongli Su Shuaifei Zhao Azadeh Nilghaz Kunning Tang Luxiang Ma Zhuo Zou |
| author_sort | Changchun Xu |
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| description | Carbon catalysts have shown promise as an alternative to the currently available energy-intensive approaches for nitrogen fixation (NF) to urea, NH<sub>3</sub>, or related nitrogenous compounds. The primary challenges for NF are the natural inertia of nitrogenous molecules and the competitive hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Recently, carbon-based materials have made significant progress due to their tunable electronic structure and ease of defect formation. These properties significantly enhance electrocatalytic and photocatalytic nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR) activity. While transition metal-based catalysts have solved the kinetic constraints to activate nitrogen bonds via the donation-back-π approach, there is a problem: the d-orbital electrons of these transition metal atoms tend to generate H-metal bonds, inadvertently amplifying unwanted HER. Because of this, a timely review of defective carbon-based electrocatalysts for NF is imperative. Such a review will succinctly capture recent developments in both experimental and theoretical fields. It will delve into multiple defective engineering approaches to advance the development of ideal carbon-based electrocatalysts and photocatalysts. Furthermore, this review will carefully explore the natural correlation between the structure of these defective carbon-based electrocatalysts and photocatalysts and their NF activity. Finally, novel carbon-based catalysts are introduced to obtain more efficient performance of NF, paving the way for a sustainable future. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-94e6f279ba974c9ca948764f1bdf875a |
| institution | Kabale University |
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| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
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| series | Nanomaterials |
| spelling | doaj-art-94e6f279ba974c9ca948764f1bdf875a2025-01-10T13:19:24ZengMDPI AGNanomaterials2079-49912025-01-011516510.3390/nano15010065Electrocatalytic and Photocatalytic N<sub>2</sub> Fixation Using Carbon CatalystsChangchun Xu0Hongli Su1Shuaifei Zhao2Azadeh Nilghaz3Kunning Tang4Luxiang Ma5Zhuo Zou6School of Electrical and Energy Engineering, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225100, ChinaResource & Recycling, Department of Engineering Structures, Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geosciences, Delft University of Technology, 2628CN Delft, The NetherlandsInstitute of Frontier Materials, Deakin University, Waurn Ponds Campus, Geelong, VIC 3220, AustraliaInstitute of Frontier Materials, Deakin University, Waurn Ponds Campus, Geelong, VIC 3220, AustraliaSchool of Minerals and Energy Resources Engineering, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, AustraliaCollege of Materials and Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu 610059, ChinaInstitute of Materials Science & Devices, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou 215009, ChinaCarbon catalysts have shown promise as an alternative to the currently available energy-intensive approaches for nitrogen fixation (NF) to urea, NH<sub>3</sub>, or related nitrogenous compounds. The primary challenges for NF are the natural inertia of nitrogenous molecules and the competitive hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Recently, carbon-based materials have made significant progress due to their tunable electronic structure and ease of defect formation. These properties significantly enhance electrocatalytic and photocatalytic nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR) activity. While transition metal-based catalysts have solved the kinetic constraints to activate nitrogen bonds via the donation-back-π approach, there is a problem: the d-orbital electrons of these transition metal atoms tend to generate H-metal bonds, inadvertently amplifying unwanted HER. Because of this, a timely review of defective carbon-based electrocatalysts for NF is imperative. Such a review will succinctly capture recent developments in both experimental and theoretical fields. It will delve into multiple defective engineering approaches to advance the development of ideal carbon-based electrocatalysts and photocatalysts. Furthermore, this review will carefully explore the natural correlation between the structure of these defective carbon-based electrocatalysts and photocatalysts and their NF activity. Finally, novel carbon-based catalysts are introduced to obtain more efficient performance of NF, paving the way for a sustainable future.https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/15/1/65N<sub>2</sub> fixationcarbon catalystselectrocatalysisphotocatalysishydrogen evolution reactiondefective carbon materials |
| spellingShingle | Changchun Xu Hongli Su Shuaifei Zhao Azadeh Nilghaz Kunning Tang Luxiang Ma Zhuo Zou Electrocatalytic and Photocatalytic N<sub>2</sub> Fixation Using Carbon Catalysts Nanomaterials N<sub>2</sub> fixation carbon catalysts electrocatalysis photocatalysis hydrogen evolution reaction defective carbon materials |
| title | Electrocatalytic and Photocatalytic N<sub>2</sub> Fixation Using Carbon Catalysts |
| title_full | Electrocatalytic and Photocatalytic N<sub>2</sub> Fixation Using Carbon Catalysts |
| title_fullStr | Electrocatalytic and Photocatalytic N<sub>2</sub> Fixation Using Carbon Catalysts |
| title_full_unstemmed | Electrocatalytic and Photocatalytic N<sub>2</sub> Fixation Using Carbon Catalysts |
| title_short | Electrocatalytic and Photocatalytic N<sub>2</sub> Fixation Using Carbon Catalysts |
| title_sort | electrocatalytic and photocatalytic n sub 2 sub fixation using carbon catalysts |
| topic | N<sub>2</sub> fixation carbon catalysts electrocatalysis photocatalysis hydrogen evolution reaction defective carbon materials |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/15/1/65 |
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