Reduction of Nitrogen on Gallium Phosphide Nanoparticles

Abstract

Abstract Under mild ambient conditions gallium phosphide (GaP) nanoparticles were employed to carry out the reduction of nitrogen. By using Nessler's reagent ammonia was detected in the slurry where the aggregated GaP particles were suspended in water and bubbled by pure nitrogen. Dependence of the concentration of ammonia upon bubbling time, velocity of the flow of nitrogen, and dosage of GaP particles was investigated. In comparison with the original GaP nanoparticles, the Raman scattering of the GaP particles undergoing the process of nitrogen fixation reveals that two sharp lines at 138 and 182 cm‐1, respectively, emerged from the broad continuum around 100–200 cm‐1. These two lines might be assigned to the translational motions of ammonia adsorbed on the surface of the GaP particles. An assessment of the infrared spectra of the two GaP particles led to the conclusion that the environment of the two H2O molecules was not identical. Analysis of the electron spin resonance results showed that the structure defect, gallium self‐interstitial, was not involved in the nitrogen fixation of the GaP nanoparticles.