Cerium Zirconium Solid Solution with High Faradaic Efficiency for Electrochemical Nitrogen Reduction Reaction under Ambient Condition

Abstract

AbstractIndustrial synthesis of ammonia (NH3) involves high energy consumption resulting in intense pollution. Alternatively, electrochemical nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR) to NH3 can be carried out under mild conditions, which is a new green NH3 synthesis method. Herein, cerium zirconium solid solutions (ZrxCe1‐xO2) with different proportions were synthesized by NH3 precipitation method and employed as electrocatalysts for NRR. The performance of the different catalysts in 0.1 mol L−1 Na2SO4 was evaluated with H2O and N2 as reactants. The results show that Zr0.9Ce0.1O2 has the highest Faraday efficiency (FE) of 62.68 % at −1.3 V (vs. Ag/AgCl) and the highest yield rate of NH3 −9.34×10−11 mol cm−2 s−1 at −1.35 V (vs. Ag/AgCl). The impressive FE is due to more oxygen vacancies in Zr0.9Ce0.1O2 introduced by Ce3+, which is more prone to the adsorption of N2 on the catalyst surface and facilitates the electrochemical reaction.