Graphdiyne Interface Engineering: Highly Active and Selective Ammonia Synthesis

Abstract

A freestanding 3D graphdiyne-cobalt nitride (GDY/Co₂ N) with a highly active and selective interface is fabricated for the electrochemical nitrogen reduction reaction (ECNRR). Density function theory calculations reveal that the interface-bonded GDY contributes an unique p-electronic character to optimally modify the Co-N compound surface bonding, which generates as-observed superior electronic activity for NRR catalysis at the interface region. Experimentally, at atmospheric pressure and room temperature, the electrocatalyst creates a new record of ammonia yield rate (Y <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><mml:msub><mml:mrow></mml:mrow> <mml:mrow><mml:mi>NH</mml:mi> <mml:msub><mml:mrow></mml:mrow> <mml:mn>3</mml:mn></mml:msub> </mml:mrow> </mml:msub> </mml:math> ) and Faradaic efficiency (FE) of 219.72 μg h^-1 mg_cat. ^-1 and 58.60 %, respectively, in acidic conditions, higher than reported electrocatalysts. Such a catalyst is promising to generate new concepts, new knowledge, and new phenomena in electrocatalytic research, driving rapid development in the field of electrocatalysis.