Issue 13, 2021

Rational construction of Au3Cu@Cu nanocages with porous core–shell heterostructured walls for enhanced electrocatalytic N2 fixation

Abstract

Current methods for industrial-scale ammonia synthesis rely excessively on fossil fuels, causing severe CO2 emissions. The electrochemical nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR) is a sustainable and environmentally friendly technology for ammonia synthesis under environmental conditions. Herein, we demonstrate the rational construction of Au3Cu@Cu nanocages with unique porous core–shell heterostructured walls by a facile two-step synthetic strategy. Due to the hollow cavities, porous core–shell heterostructured walls, and Au3Cu@Cu two-component composition, the as-constructed Au3Cu@Cu nanocages exhibit excellent NRR performance in 0.1 M Na2SO4 saturated with N2, achieving a high ammonia yield up to 33.97 μg h−1 mgcat.−1 and a faradaic efficiency of 21.41% at −0.2 V (vs. the reversible hydrogen electrode). This study will provide insight into the reasonable design and construction of hollow nanostructures with porous heterostructured walls for electrocatalytic applications.

Graphical abstract: Rational construction of Au3Cu@Cu nanocages with porous core–shell heterostructured walls for enhanced electrocatalytic N2 fixation

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
04 Feb 2021
Accepted
20 Feb 2021
First published
20 Feb 2021

J. Mater. Chem. A, 2021,9, 8372-8377

Rational construction of Au3Cu@Cu nanocages with porous core–shell heterostructured walls for enhanced electrocatalytic N2 fixation

S. Liu, Y. Xu, S. Jiao, W. Tian, T. Zhou, Z. Wang, X. Li, L. Wang and H. Wang, J. Mater. Chem. A, 2021, 9, 8372 DOI: 10.1039/D1TA01058A

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