Black Phosphorene with Removable Aluminum Ion Protection for Enhanced Electrochemical Nitrogen Fixation

Abstract

AbstractThe exceptional electronic properties and potential applications of black phosphorus (BP) have garnered significant interest in the fields of electrochemical catalysis and energy storage. However, its poor environmental stability severely hampers its practical use. In this study, an innovative strategy is proposed to protect fresh black phosphorene (BPene) against oxidation by adsorbing or weakly bonding aluminum ions (Al3+) onto its surface, while facilitating their self‐removal under operating conditions. By leveraging Al3+‐protected black phosphorene (Al‐BPene) as a catalyst for the electrocatalytic reduction of nitrogen to ammonia (NH3), the effectiveness of this removable Al3+‐protected strategy is demonstrated. Quantitative analysis reveals that Al‐BPene maintains structural and compositional stability for over 7 days under ambient conditions, while the Al3+ can be readily eliminated through self‐desorption or dissolution in the electrolyte. With highly active sites pre‐protected, Al‐BPene exhibits a striking NH3 yield rate of 55.1 µg h−1 mg cat−1 and a Faradaic efficiency (FE) of 66.5% in alkaline media, as exemplified by the representative application example. Moreover, it is found that the prepared Al‐BPene can tolerate a thermal environment, and a higher NH3 yield rate of 75 µg h−1 mg cat−1 at 60 °C is recorded. Undoubtedly, these findings pave the way for broader applications of BPene.