Single Atoms of Iron on MoS(2)Nanosheets for N(2)Electroreduction into Ammonia

Abstract

Efforts have been devoted to achieving a highly efficient artificial synthesis of ammonia (NH3). Reported herein is a novel Fe-MoS(2)catalyst with Fe atomically dispersed onto MoS(2)nanosheets, imitating natural nitrogenase, to boost N(2)electroreduction into NH(3)at room temperature. The Fe-MoS(2)nanosheets exhibited a faradic efficiency of 18.8 % with a yield rate of 8.63 mu gNH3 mg(cat.)(-1) h(-1)for NH(3)at -0.3 V versus the reversible hydrogen electrode. The mechanism study revealed that the electroreduction of N(2)was promoted and the competing hydrogen evolution reaction was suppressed by decorating the edge sites of S in MoS(2)with the atomically dispersed Fe, resulting in high catalytic performance for the electroreduction of N(2)into NH3. This work provides new ideas for the design of catalysts for N(2)electroreduction and strengthens the understanding about N(2)activation over Mo-based catalysts.