Electronically Coupled SnO2 Quantum Dots and Graphene for Efficient Nitrogen Reduction Reaction

• DOI: 10.1021/acsami.9b08055
• Publication Date: 2019-08-19T15:46:31Z
• Authors: Ke Chu; Ya-ping Liu; Yu-biao Li; Jing Wang; Hu Zhang
• Keywords: 7. Clean energy; 01 natural sciences; 0104 chemical sciences

Electrocatalytic N2 reduction reaction (NRR) provides an effective and renewable approach for artificial NH3 production, but still remains a grand challenge because of the low yield Faradaic efficiency (FE). Herein, we reported that SnO2 quantum dots (QDs) supported on reduced graphene oxide (RGO) could efficiently stably catalyze NRR at ambient conditions. The performance resulting SnO2/RGO was studied by both experimental techniques density functional theory calculations. It found ultrasmall QDs (2 nm) grown RGO provide abundant sites efficient adsorption. Significantly, strongly electronically coupled brought about enhanced conductivity decreased work function, which led to considerably lowered energy barrier *N2 → *N2H rate-determining step process. Meanwhile, exhibited inferior hydrogen evolution activity. As result, delivered high 25.6 μg h–1 mg–1 (5.1 cm–2h–1) FE 7.1% in 0.1 M Na2SO4 −0.5 V (vs RHE), together with outstanding selectivity stability, endowing it as promising electrocatalyst fixation.