Atomically Dispersed Uranium Enables an Unprecedentedly High NH3 Yield Rate

• DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.2c01185
• Publication Date: 2022-05-23T15:08:19Z
• Authors: Yinghe Zhao; Jingyu Qu; Haobo Li; Pengyu Li; Teng Liu; Zhongfang Chen; Tianyou Zhai
• Keywords: Depleted Uranium

The low NH3 yield rate is a grand challenge for electrocatalytic N2 reduction to NH3. Herein, we report the first uranium single-atom catalyst (SAC) capable of catalyzing electrochemical reaction (NRR). SAC features limiting potential (<0.5 V) and near-zero free energy changes adsorption desorption. integration these merits enables afford an unprecedentedly high rate, 3-4 orders magnitude higher than that Ru(0001) surface, which widely recognized as excellent NRR electrocatalyst. Further theoretical analysis reveals catalyzed by synergistically regulated d f electrons atomic uranium. This work proposes promising solution (that is, atomically dispersed uranium) daunting associated with thus enabling scalable production via reduction.