J. Mater. Sci. Technol. ›› 2021, Vol. 77: 244-251.DOI: 10.1016/j.jmst.2020.09.048

• Research Article • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Double transition metal atoms anchored on Graphdiyne as promising catalyst for electrochemical nitrogen reduction reaction

Lakshitha Jasin Arachchigea,b, Yongjun Xua, Zhongxu Daic,*, Xiao Li Zhangd, Feng Wangb, Chenghua Suna,b,**()   

  1. aSchool of Chemical Engineering and Energy Technology, Dongguan University of Technology, Dongguan 523808, China
    bDepartment of Chemistry and Biotechnology, and Centre for Translational Atomaterials, FSET, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, Victoria 3122, Australia
    cKey Laboratory of Inorganic Nonmetallic Crystalline and Energy Conversion Materials, College of Materials and Chemical Engineering, China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, China
    dState Centre for International Cooperation on Designer Low-Carbon & Environmental Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhengzhou University, Henan 450001, China
  • Received:2020-07-29 Revised:2020-09-19 Accepted:2020-09-19 Published:2021-06-30 Online:2020-11-22
  • Contact: Zhongxu Dai,Chenghua Sun
  • About author:** School of Chemical Engineering and Energy Technol-ogy, Dongguan University of Technology, Dongguan 523808, China. E-mail address: chenghuasun@swin.edu.au (C. Sun).
    * Key Laboratory of Inorganic Nonmetallic Crystalline and Energy Conversion Materials, College of Materials and Chemical Engineering, China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, China.

Abstract:

Ammonia synthesis by electrochemical nitrogen reduction technique is an attractive alternative to traditional Haber-Bosch process. Currently, development of an efficient and effective electrocatalyst is one of the remaining key challenges. In this work, density functional theory (DFT) computations were systematically employed on double transition metal atoms (Fe, Co, Ni, Cu and Mo) anchored Graphdiyne (GDY) for nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR). The Co-Ni heteronuclear complex and Mo-Mo homonuclear complex showed the highest NRR activity while demonstrating synergistic effect of double atomic catalytic sites towards the promising NRR activity.

Key words: Double atom catalyst, Graphdiyne, NRR, First-principles calculation