Single-Atom Catalysts for the Electrocatalytic Reduction of Nitrogen to Ammonia under Ambient Conditions

Abstract

Powered by renewable electricity, the electrochemical reduction of nitrogen to ammonia is proposed as a promising alternative to the energy- and capital-intensive Haber-Bosch process, and has thus attracted much attention from the scientific community. However, this process suffers from low NH₃ yields and Faradaic efficiency. The development of more effective electrocatalysts is of vital importance for the practical applications of this reaction. Of the reported catalysts, single-atom catalysts (SACs) show the significant advantages of efficient atom utilization and unsaturated coordination configurations, which offer great scope for optimizing their catalytic performance. Herein, progress in state-of-the-art SACs applied in the electrocatalytic N₂ reduction reaction (NRR) is discussed, and the main advantages and challenges for developing more efficient electrocatalysts are also highlighted.

Keywords: ambient conditions; ammonia synthesis; electrochemistry; nitrogen fixation; single-atom catalysts.