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FeOOH quantum dots decorated graphene sheet: An efficient electrocatalyst for ambient N2 reduction

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Abstract

Electrochemical N2 reduction offers a promising alternative to the Haber-Bosch process for sustainable NH3 synthesis at ambient conditions, but it needs efficient catalysts for the N2 reduction reaction (NRR). Here, we report that FeOOH quantum dots decorated graphene sheet acts as a superior catalyst toward enhanced electrocatalytic N2 reduction to NH3 under ambient conditions. In 0.1 M LiClO4, this hybrid attains a large NH3 yield rate and a high Faradaic efficiency of 27.3 µg·h−1·mg−1cat. and 14.6% at −0.4 V vs. reversible hydrogen electrode, respectively, rivalling the current efficiency of all Fe-based NRR electrocatalysts in aqueous media. It also shows strong durability during the electrolytic process.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 21575137).

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Author notes

  1. Xiaojuan Zhu and Jinxiu Zhao contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Fundamental and Frontier Sciences, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 610054, China

    Xiaojuan Zhu, Jinxiu Zhao, Lei Ji, Tongwei Wu, Ting Wang & Xuping Sun

  2. Chemical Synthesis and Pollution Control Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, China West Normal University, Nanchong, 637002, China

    Xiaojuan Zhu & Yonglan Luo

  3. School of Materials Science and Engineering, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, 453007, China

    Shuyan Gao

  4. Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, P.O. Box 80203, Jeddah, 21589, Saudi Arabia

    Abdulmohsen Ali Alshehri & Khalid Ahmed Alzahrani

  5. No. 12 Middle School, Chengdu, 610041, China

    Yimo Xiang

  6. College of Chemistry, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610064, China

    Baozhan Zheng

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  1. Xiaojuan Zhu
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  2. Jinxiu Zhao
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Correspondence to Baozhan Zheng or Xuping Sun.

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Zhu, X., Zhao, J., Ji, L. et al. FeOOH quantum dots decorated graphene sheet: An efficient electrocatalyst for ambient N2 reduction. Nano Res. 13, 209–214 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12274-019-2600-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12274-019-2600-8

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