SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE
Holey reduced graphene oxide-assisted oxide-derived Bi for efficient nitrogen electroreduction†
Abstract
Bismuth (Bi) has triggered rising scientific inquiry in the field of the electrochemical N2 reduction reaction (NRR) due to its weak hydrogen binding capability and superior hydrogenation ability of *NN to *NNH. However, the application extension of Bi has been restricted owing to its unfavorable adsorption and activation of N2 and its poor electrical conductivity. Reconstructing Bi itself or combining it with other materials is a universal strategy to address these challenges. Here, by integrating these two strategies, we report a simple thermal method to directly synthesize oxide-derived Bi anchored in holey reduced graphene oxide (odBi-hRGO). Benefiting from the unique structure which exhibits elevated N2 adsorption, enhanced exposure of Bi active sites, and favorable inhibition of the hydrogen evolution reaction, odBi-hRGO showed a stimulative average NH3 yield and faradaic efficiency of up to 8.89 μg cm−2 h−1 at −0.6 V (versus the reversible hydrogen electrode) and 24.34% at −0.55 V in 0.05 M H2SO4 under ambient conditions. Density functional theory calculations further reveal that oxide-derived Bi with under-coordinated sites is more favorable for the NRR than ideal Bi while hRGO plays a critical role in suppressing the hydrogen evolution reaction.
- This article is part of the themed collection: Journal of Materials Chemistry A HOT Papers
Please wait while we load your content...
