Double metals sites synergistically enhanced photocatalytic N2 fixation performance over Bi24O31Br10@Bi/Ti3C2Tx Ohm junctions

Ruqi Li; Hua Wen; Maomao Niu; Li Guo; Xin Huang; Chunming Yang; Danjun Wang

doi:10.1016/j.jcis.2023.12.154

Double metals sites synergistically enhanced photocatalytic N₂ fixation performance over Bi₂₄O₃₁Br₁₀@Bi/Ti₃C₂T_x Ohm junctions

J Colloid Interface Sci. 2024 Apr:659:139-148. doi: 10.1016/j.jcis.2023.12.154. Epub 2023 Dec 28.

Authors

Ruqi Li¹, Hua Wen¹, Maomao Niu¹, Li Guo¹, Xin Huang¹, Chunming Yang², Danjun Wang³

Affiliations

¹ College of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, Yan'an University, Yan'an Key Laboratory of Green Catalysis and Quality Improvement and Utilization of Low Rank Coal, Yan'an 716000, PR China.
² College of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, Yan'an University, Yan'an Key Laboratory of Green Catalysis and Quality Improvement and Utilization of Low Rank Coal, Yan'an 716000, PR China. Electronic address: chunmingyang@yau.edu.cn.
³ College of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, Yan'an University, Yan'an Key Laboratory of Green Catalysis and Quality Improvement and Utilization of Low Rank Coal, Yan'an 716000, PR China. Electronic address: wangdj761118@163.com.

PMID: 38159490
DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2023.12.154

Abstract

At present, it is a research hotspot to realize green synthetic ammonia by using solar energy. Exploring cheap and efficient co-catalysts for enhancing the performance of photocatalysts is a challenge in the field of energy conversion. In order to boost the charge separation/transfer of the photocatalyst and widen the visible light absorption, Bi₂₄O₃₁Br₁₀@Bi/Ti₃C₂T_x with double Ohm junction is successfully fabricated by in situ growth of metal Bi and loading Ti₃C₂T_x MXene on the surface of Bi₂₄O₃₁Br₁₀. The dual active sites of Bi and Ti₃C₂T_x MXene not only broaden the light adsorption of Bi₂₄O₃₁Br₁₀ but also serve as excellent 'electronic receptor' for synergically enhancing the separation/transfer efficiency of photogenerated electrons/holes. Meanwhile, temperature programmed desorption (TPD) result revealed that MXene and Bi can promote N₂ adsorption/activation and NH₃ desorption over Bi₂₄O₃₁Br₁₀@Bi/Ti₃C₂T_x. As a result, under mild conditions and without the presence of hole scavenger, the ammonia synthesis efficiency of Bi₂₄O₃₁Br₁₀@Bi/Ti₃C₂T_x-20 % reached 53.86 μmol g^-1_cat for three hours which is 3.2 and 53.8 times of Bi₂₄O₃₁Br₁₀ and Ti₃C₂T_x, respectively. This study offers a novel scheme for the construction of photocatalytic systems and demonstrates Ti₃C₂T_x MXene and metal Bi as a promising and cheap co-catalyst.

Keywords: Bi(24)O(31)Br(10)@Bi/Ti(3)C(2)T(x); Double ohm junction photocatalyst; Photocatalytic N(2) reduction reaction (PNRR); Synergistic enhancement.