Principles Density Functional Theory Research Articles

Effect of strain on the photoelectric properties of molybdenum ditelluride under vacancy defects: a DFT investigation.

This study explores the impact of deformation on the electrical and optical characteristics of monolayer cadmium telluride (MoTe2) with vacancies, using the foundational principles of density functional theory. It was discovered that both strain and imperfections alter the electrical characteristics of monolayer MoTe2. Under VTe-MoTe2, a direct-to-indirect band-gap transition occurs. In DTe-MoTe2, the band-gap value reduces dramatically, the conduction band changes downward, and the carrier concentration rises. The DVTe-induced band gap state is closer to the Fermi energy level than the VTe-induced band gap state. In this paper, DTe-MoTe2 is chosen for tensile deformation. The results show that the band-gap value tends to decrease by increasing tensile deformation. When the stretching value reaches 10%, the lower bound of the conduction band and the top of the valence band overlap, and the system is converted from a semiconductor to a metal. Considering the density of states, the missing state MoTe2 is mainly contributed by the participation of Te-s, Te-p, and Mo-d orbitals. In terms of optical qualities, the absorption and reflection peaks are red-shifted and blue-shifted, respectively. It is hoped that these effects on the optoelectronic properties will be widely applied. In this study, we utilize the generalized gradient approximation plane-wave pseudopotential method, incorporating Perdew-Burke Ernzerhof (PBE) generalized functions and following the fundamental principles of the density functional theory framework. A 3 × 3 × 1 supercell was constructed as an undoped model based on a MoTe2 monolayer, which consists of 9 Mo atoms and 18 Te atoms. The vacuum flat plate was set to 15Å along the z-direction to avoid interactions between the monolayers. For electronic structure calculations, the energy cutoff was set to 450eV. Each model's computational process and structural optimization were carried out using the Monkhorst-Pack specialized K-point sampling approach. Crystal optimization computations used a 3 × 3 × 1 Monkhorst-Pack K-point grid for molybdenum ditelluride monolayers and a 9 × 9 × 1K-point grid for electronic system analysis, analyzing state density and optical characteristics, respectively. For the structural optimization, the convergence requirements for maximum force, maximum atom displacement, maximum stress, and energy change were defined at 0.03eV/Å, 0.001Å, 0.05 Gpa, and 1.0 × 10-5eV/atom, respectively.

Computational Design of 2D Phosphorus Nanostructures for Renewable Energy Applications: A Review

AbstractElemental phosphorus in its various allotropes has received tremendous research attention recently due to its intriguing electronic and structural properties. Notably, the application of nanostructured materials to overcome the inherent flaws in bulk materials is promising. However, many challenges need to be addressed before its widespread implementation. Thus, a specific tenet to design novel and robust nanomaterials is a decisive factor in the desired outcome, and the most daunting task before realizing this is solving the Schrödinger equation. First principle density functional theory (DFT) calculations have emerged as an insightful and accurate design tool to investigate the structural, electronic, and possible synthesis scenarios of yet undiscovered materials at atomic levels. In this review, the basic principles and the importance of DFT are discussed, followed by a summary of recent advances in the first principle study of elemental phosphorus‐based nanomaterials. Elemental phosphorus‐based nanomaterials and their allotropes have attracted growing interest in the renewable energy community due to their modulable product selectivity. However, the understanding of the physical phenomena of allotropic modification is still lacking. Therefore, the aim is to motivate experimental researchers to conduct DFT studies and experiments to comprehend relevant engineered nanomaterials better. Finally, the challenges and potential future research directions for further theoretical and computational development of phosphorus‐based nanomaterials are outlined.

Mechanism study of H2-plasma assisted Si3N4 layered etch

The cyclic two-step process, comprised of energetic H2 plasma followed by HF wet clean or in situ NF3 plasma, demonstrates Si3N4 layer-by-layer removal capability exceeding 10 nm per cycle, surpassing typical atomic layer etch methods by an order of magnitude. In this paper, we investigated the surface reaction mechanisms via first principle density functional theory simulations and surface analysis. The results unveiled that energetic H2 plasma, in the first step, selectively removes nitrogen (N) in preference to silicon (Si), generating ammonia (NHx) and transforming Si3N4 into SiON upon exposure to air, which becomes removable by HF wet clean in the second step. For the second step employing in situ NF3 plasma, it further leverages H-passivated surfaces to enhance NF3 dissociation and provide alternative reaction pathways to yield volatile byproducts such as SiHF3 and SiFx, thereby significantly improving nitride removal efficiency.

First-principles calculation of the tunable electronic and optical properties of the BP/ZrS2 heterojunction

s: The first principles of density functional theory (DFT) were used to calculate the geometrical structure, as well as the optical and electrical properties of BP/ZrS2 heterojunctions in this study. The analysis indicates that the BP/ZrS2 heterostructure demonstrates a Z-scheme electron transfer mechanism as a type II heterostructure, and possesses an indirect band gap of 0.19 eV. Under the effect of applied extra electric field and biaxial strain, the BP/ZrS2 heterojunction could undergo a transition from type II to type I and a semiconductor-metal transition. The heterojunction demonstrates markedly enhanced light absorption compared to the two individual monolayers within a specific range of visible light. These features suggest that BP/ZrS2 heterojunctions have a wide range of applications in areas such as photodetectors.

The structural, stability, electronic, optical and thermodynamic properties of Ba2AsXO6（X = V, Nb, Ta）double perovskite oxides: A First-Principles study

In this paper, the structural, mechanical, electronic, optical and thermodynamic properties of Ba2AsXO6 (X = V, Nb, Ta) double perovskite oxides have been studied based on the first principles of density functional theory. By calculating some parameters such as Goldsmith’s tolerance factor (tG), octahedral factor (µ), Bartel’s tolerance factor (τ), formation energy, binding energy and elastic constants, it is found that these double perovskite oxides have the potential for stable existence. In addition, Ba2AsXO6 (X = V, Nb, Ta) is an anisotropic material, in which Ba2AsVO6 is brittle, Ba2AsNbO6 and Ba2AsTaO6 are ductile. The electronic properties of the materials show that Ba2AsVO6 and Ba2AsNbO6 are indirect bandgap semiconductors with a band gap of 1.676 eV and 2.654 eV respectively, while Ba2AsTaO6 is direct bandgap semiconductor with a band gap of 3.252 eV. The optical properties revealed that these perovskites exhibit favorable far-ultraviolet light absorption characteristics. The thermodynamic properties show that the specific heat capacity of these double perovskite oxides reaches the Dulong-Petit limit at around 800 K. These results indicate that Ba2AsXO6 (X = V, Nb, Ta) double perovskite oxides have broad application prospects in the fields of thermoelectricity and optoelectronics. Furthermore, these results also provide a valuable theoretical basis for their future experimental synthesis.

First principles modelling of the ion binding capacity of finger millet

Finger millet, a cereal grain widely consumed in India and Africa, has gained more attention in recent years due to its high dietary fibre (arabinoxylan) and trace mineral content, and its climate resilience. The aim of this study was to understand the interactions between potassium (K+), calcium (Ca2+) and zinc (Zn2+) ions and the arabinoxylan structure and determine its ion-binding capacity. Three variations of a proposed model of the arabinoxylan structure were constructed and first principles Density Functional Theory calculations were carried out to determine the cation-binding capacity of the arabinoxylan complexes. Zn2+-arabinoxylan complexes were highly unstable and thermodynamically unfavourable in all three models. Ca2+ and K+ ions, however, form thermodynamically stable complexes, particularly involving two glucuronic acid residues as a binding pocket. Glucuronic acid residues are found to play a key role in stabilising the cation-arabinoxylan complex, and steric effects are more important to the stability than charge density. Our results highlight the most important structural features of the millet fibre regarding ion-storage capacity, and provide valuable preliminary data for confirmatory experimental studies and for the planning of clinical trials where the bioavailability of bound ions following digestion may be tested.

Emerging topological states in EuMn2Bi2: A first principles prediction

New materials with magnetic order driven topological phases are hugely sought after for their immense application potential. In this work, we propose a new compound EuMn2Bi2 from our first principles density functional theory calculations to host novel topological phases such as Dirac/Weyl semimetal and topological insulator in its different magnetic states which are energetically close to one another. The new compound EuMn2Bi2 is found to be dynamically stable from our phonon calculations supporting its experimental preparation in future. By comparing the total energies of various possible magnetic structures of EuMn2Bi2, we identified the ground state. The magnetic ground state is found to be a normal insulator with tiny band gap which is an order of magnitude less than the same in another well studied sister compound EuMn2As2. However, there exist other magnetic states energetically very close to the ground state in EuMn2Bi2 which display remarkable non-trivial band topology such as Dirac/Weyl points close to the Fermi level and topological insulator state driven by magnetic order which is not observed in EuMn2As2. The energetic proximity of these magnetic order driven topological phases makes them tunable via external handle such as magnetic field indicating that the proposed new material EuMn2Bi2 would be a very versatile magnetic topological material if prepared experimentally in future.

Effect of non metallic doping in GeC gas sensors on gas response performance: the first principles study

In this paper, the stability, electronic structure and optical properties of monolayer GeC, B, N and P doped GeC systems are systematically investigated based on the first principles of density functional theory. The results show that the results show that the intrinsic GeC monolayer has a weak adsorption capacity for CH4 and C2H2, which is unfavourable for the sensing and trapping of CH4 and C2H2 gases. Based on calculated adsorption distance, adsorption energy and charge transfer, we find that P-GeC monolayer is the most sensitive to CH4 and C2H2 molecules, and the most of gas molecules act as acceptors to gain electrons from GeC monolayer. The adsorption energy of CH4 is smaller than that of C2H2 gas molecule, which implies that C2H2 is more easily desorbed from P-GeC. Moreover, the work function changes significantly when gas molecules adsorbed on B, N, P-GeC, and Recovery times indicate that B, N and P doped GeC monolayers are more selective and sensitive to C2H2 molecules compared to CH4 molecules. The research work aims to provide a theoretical basis for the application of GeC-based gas sensors, and P-doped GeC monolayers can be used as candidate materials for C2H2 gas sensing and trapping.

Ab-initio study of potassium-based halide perovskites for photovoltaic and opto-electronic applications

A first principle Density Functional Theory (DFT) analysis was applied to investigate the structural, electronic, and optical properties of cubic perovskites KXB3 (X= Ge, Sn; B= Cl, Br). Using the computational code WIEN2K, the corresponding properties have been studied through the use of Generalized Gradient Approximation. Experimental values of lattice constants are consistent with those derived from calculations. The wide direct band gap of 1.5–2 eV (M-M) is confirmed by the electronic band structure. This behavior suggests that the compounds under study are semiconducting KXB3 (X= Ge, Sn; B= Cl, Br) halide perovskite materials are a promising alternative to photovoltaic semiconductors because of their appealing optical properties, as confirmed by a variety of optical properties. Because of their advancement in perovskites, these materials can captivate the world. So, these perovskites materials can captivate world due to its advancement in Opto-electronic application especially in photovoltaic area.

Single atom dispersed tungsten disulfide (WS2) based nanosensors for VOCs detection related to decomposed humans in disaster events

Locating and recovering the victims as a result of disaster events is extremely challenging due to vast search areas, hazardous nature of destroyed infrastructure, and large number of potential victims. An effective avenue for the victim’s detection is through the sensing of human-specific volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted both in life and in death. Motivated by this, we employed first principles density functional theory (DFT) calculations to study the sensing properties of pristine, vacancy-induced and single atom dispersed tungsten disulfide (WS2) monolayers towards 11 specific VOCs associated with decomposing humans. We found that pristine, and vacancy-induced WS2 weakly adsorbed the selected VOCs with adsorption energies (Eads) between −0.26 to −0.76 eV. However, the incorporation of selected single atoms of Co, Fe, Nb, and Ni in WS2 improved the sensing properties tremendously. In particular, Nb-WS2 adsorbed the incident VOCs with Eads values of −1.89, −209, −1.43, −0.94, −2.08, −1.57, −1.44, −1.47, −1.70, −1.03, and −2.14 eV for 2-Butanone, benzaldehyde, butanol, heptane, hexanal, methylamine, dimethyl disulfide, dimethyl trisulfide, pyridine, octane, and toluene, respectively, which are ideal for efficient sensing mechanism. Appropriate adsorptions were coupled with the measurable changes in the electronic properties (band gaps) of Nb-WS2, which is essential for proficient sensing. Charge transfer analysis, electro localization functions, electrostatic potentials, and work function calculations further authenticated the sensing propensities of single atom dispersed WS2. Finally, Langmuir adsorption model was employed to explore the sensing at diverse pressure and temperature settings. We believe that these results will help for the development of highly efficient nanosensors for the detection of VOCs related to decomposed humans in mass disaster events. This will increase the detection ability and the chance of locating these victims.

Effects of Alloying Element on Hydrogen Adsorption and Diffusion on α-Fe(110) Surfaces: First Principles Study

Based on first principles density functional theory (DFT) methods, this study employed the Cambridge Serial Total Energy Package (CASTEP) module within Materials Studio (MS) software under the generalized gradient approximation to investigate the adsorption, diffusion behavior, and electronic properties of hydrogen atoms on α-Fe(110) and α-Fe(110)-Me (Mn, Cr, Ni, Mo) surfaces, including calculations of their adsorption energies and density of states (DOS). The results demonstrated that doping with alloy atoms Me increased the physical adsorption energy of H2 molecules on the surface. Specifically, Mo doping elevated the adsorption energy from −1.00825 eV to −0.70226 eV, with the largest relative change being 30.35%. After doping with Me, the chemical adsorption energy of two hydrogen atoms does not change significantly, among which doping with Cr results in a decrease in the chemical adsorption energy. Building on this, further analysis of the chemical adsorption of single atoms on the surface was conducted. By comparing the adsorption energy and the bond length between a hydrogen atom and iron/dopant metal atom, it was found that Mo doping has the greatest impact, increasing the bond length by 58.58%. Analysis of the DOS functions under different doping conditions validated the interaction between different alloy elements and H atoms. Simultaneously, simulations were carried out on the energy barrier crossed by H atoms diffusing into the metal interior. The results indicate that Ni doping facilitates the diffusion of H atoms, while Cr, Mn, and Mo hinder their diffusion, with Mo having the most significant effect, where its barrier is 21.88 times that of the undoped surface. This conclusion offers deep insights into the impact of different doping elements on hydrogen adsorption and diffusion, aiding in the design of materials resistant to hydrogen embrittlement.

A comparative study of NH3 and H2S sensing performance on monolayer nanosheets through first-principle studies

This study investigates the sensing of H2S and NH3 over 2D nanosheets, namely graphene (GRA), boron nitride (BN), silicon carbide (SiC) and boron carbon nitride (BCN), using the first principle density functional theory. A CAM-B3LYP/6–31 G level of theory was used for all the computations and evaluation of the geometric and electronic properties. The optimized clusters indicated the chemisorption between the gas molecules and the SiC nanosheet. The Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra were obtained to study the N-H and S-H shifts in the post-adsorption clusters. Based on the magnitude of the computed adsorption energies, SiC (-0.61 eV for the H2S cluster and −1.21 eV for the NH3 cluster) was found to adsorb both the gas molecules most effectively. The electrostatic potential maps and the molecular orbitals' distribution were studied to investigate the electronic properties. The analysis showed that the adsorption of H2S and NH3 over GRA, BN, and BCN was physical, whereas, on SiC, nanosheet chemisorption was observed. Atom-In-Molecule (AIM) analysis was carried out to account for the possible weak interactions. The study concluded that the SiC nanosheet was the most suitable for the adsorption of H2S and NH3 gases.

Ultrafast Shift Current in SnS2 Single Crystals: Structure Considerations, Modeling, and THz Emission Spectroscopy

AbstractAbove‐band gap optical excitation of non‐centrosymmetric semiconductors can lead to the spatial shift of the center of electron charge in a process known as shift current. Shift current is investigated in single‐crystal SnS2, a layered semiconductor with the band gap of ≈2.3 eV, by THz emission spectroscopy and first principles density functional theory (DFT). It is observed that normal incidence excitation with above gap (400 nm; 3.1 eV) pulses results in THz emission from 2H SnS2 () polytype, where such emission is nominally forbidden by symmetry. It is argued that the underlying symmetry breaking arises due to the presence of stacking faults that are known to be ubiquitous in SnS2 single crystals and construct a possible structural model of a stacking fault with symmetry properties consistent with the experimental observations. In addition to shift current, it is observed THz emission by optical rectification excited by below band gap (800 nm; 1.55 eV) pulses but it requires excitation fluence more than two orders of magnitude higher to produce same signal amplitude. These results suggest that ultrafast shift current in which can be excited with visible light in blue–green portion of the spectrum makes SnS2 a promising source material for THz photonics.

First principles study of electronic structure and transport in graphene grain boundaries

Grain boundaries play a major role for electron transport in graphene sheets grown by chemical vapor deposition. Here we investigate the electronic structure and transport properties of idealized graphene grain boundaries (GBs) in bi-crystals using first principles density functional theory (DFT) and non-equilibrium Greens functions. We generated 150 different grain boundaries using an automated workflow where their geometry is relaxed with DFT. We find that the GBs generally show a quasi-1D bandstructure along the GB. We group the GBs in four classes based on their conductive properties: transparent, opaque, insulating, and spin-polarizing and show how this is related to angular mismatch, quantum mechanical interference, and out-of-plane buckling. Especially, we find that spin-polarization in the GB correlates with out-of-plane buckling. We further investigate the characteristics of these classes in simulated scanning tunnelling spectroscopy and diffusive transport along the GB which demonstrate how current can be guided along the GB.

Insights into the effect of methylammonium orientation on the crystal structural, electronic structure and optical properties of CH3NH3SnI3

Organic-inorganic hybrid halide perovskites have become an important new generation solar cell materials that are expected to significantly improve the solar conversion efficiency. In this work, the effect of methylammonium (CH3NH3) orientation on CH3NH3SnI3 perovskite is studied by using the first principles of density functional theory. We report the electronic and optical properties of methylammonium in different orientations. It is shown that CH3NH3 orientation leads to an increase in the absorption coefficient and complex refractive index of the material, a redshift in the absorption spectrum, and an enhanced absorption in the visible and near-infrared regions. We find that these changes are strongly influenced by organic-inorganic interactions and octahedral distortions. It suggests that the band gap and optical properties may be effectively modulated by the CH3NH3 rotation orientation, providing valuable insights into the behavior of CH3NH3 embedded in the inorganic octahedra of experiments.

Robustness of magnetocrystalline anisotropy and coercivity in Fe–Co–B

As a potential candidate for critical chemical element free permanent magnet, (Fe0.7Co0.3)2B, shows promising intrinsic magnetic properties, including large magnetization, high Curie temperature and moderate magnetocrystalline anisotropy (MCA). Still, the coercivity that has been achieved is relatively low. To understand and improve coercivity, we study the robustness of MCA related to the fluctuation of chemical composition and the structural distortion and its effect on coercivity in (Fe0.7Co0.3)2B from first principles DFT (density functional theory) calculation and micromagnetic simulation. A fluctuation of cobalt content of 10%, or 1% isotropic lattice strain, or 2% tetragonal distortion reduces MCA energy up to 30%. By considering randomly distributed local MCA energy reduction up to 30%, the calculated coercivity of anisotropic bulk magnets reduced from 3.6 kOe to 2.2 kOe. Rational microstructure design, such as grain size refinement and development of strong crystal texture of MCA easy-axis (i.e., degree of alignment for (Fe0.7Co0.3)2B grains), can enhance coercivity and mitigate the effect of local MCA reduction. In addition to acceptable intrinsic magnetic properties, the promising hard magnetic phase needs good MCA robustness to facilitate the development of practical magnets.

Exploring half-metallicity and pressure-induced effect in inverse heusler alloys: First principle DFT investigations of Cr2XZ (X = Ni, Pd, Pt; Z = Al, Ga, Si, Ge)

In this study, we have predicted a set of inverse Heusler alloys (HA) based on transition metals, specifically Cr2XZ (X = Ni, Pd, and Pt; Z = Al, Ga, Si, and Ge), using density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The structural, electronic, magnetic, and elastic properties, of Cr2XZ HAs have been investigated in detail to evaluate their potential for spintronic applications. Our electronic structure analysis involved the examination of band structure (BS) and density of states (DOS) to elucidate the half-metallic and magnetic characteristics of the alloys. The results indicate that Cr2XZ alloys stabilize in the F 4‾ 3 m space group in the Hg2CuTi type inverse structure, displaying a ferrimagnetic (FiM) ground state. Notably, among the inverse HAs, Cr2NiAl, and Cr2PtSi exhibit intriguing half-metallic properties with 100% spin polarization at the Fermi level (EF). Furthermore, under the influence of pressure, there is evidence of a nearly half-metallic nature in Cr2PtAl and Cr2PdGe, while the nearly half-metallic traits persist up to compressive pressures of 55 GPa and 40 GPa for Cr2PtAl, and Cr2PdGe, respectively. The Born stability criteria confirm the mechanical stability of the Cr2XZ HAs, with Cr2NiZ (Z = Al, and Ga), Cr2PdZ (Z = Ga, and Ge), and Cr2PtAl exhibiting a brittle nature, and Cr2NiZ (Z = Si, and Ge), Cr2PdZ (Z = Al, and Si), and Cr2PtZ (Z = Ga, Si, and Ge) exhibiting ductility.

EFFECT OF Sc ON THE HYDROGEN-STORAGE PERFORMANCE OF Mg2Ni: A FIRST-PRINCIPLES STUDY

The effect of metal scandium (Sc) on the hydrogen-storage properties of the magnesium-nickel (Mg2Ni) alloy has been explored using the ultrasoft pseudopotential approach, rooted in the principles of Density Functional Theory (DFT). The binding energy, lattice constant, enthalpy of formation, standard enthalpy of reaction, charge density, density of states and bond order for the Mg2-xScxNi (x = 0, 0.25, 0.5, 1) alloys and their hydrides were calculated. Furthermore, the analysis of the atomic bonding and the structural stability of Mg2-xScxNi and hydrides were also facilitated. The results show that the preference site of the Sc atom in Mg2-xScxNi (x = 0, 0.25, 0.5, 1) alloys is Mg (6i) under the condition of a Sc doping concentration of 0.25. This causes a decrease in the stability of the Mg1.75Sc0.25Ni alloy. Moreover, the addition of Sc to Mg2-xScxNiH4 weakens the interaction of H-Ni and H-Mg, thereby facilitating the hydrogen-release reaction and effectively enhancing the hydrogen-release capability of Mg2-xScxNiH4.

Quantum spin Hall effect and emergence of conducting edge states in silicene supported by MX (M=Ga, In; X=S, Se, Te) monolayer

The electronic structure of silicene supported by monolayer of different monochalcogenide MX (GaS, GaSe, GaTe and InSe) substrates has been investigated by first principle density functional theory. By calculating the formation energies and phonons, it has been seen that silicene supported by monolayer of MX remains stable. The systems retain their almost [Formula: see text] planner configurations with small buckling as that of the free standing silicene and also the Bader charge analysis shows that silicene hardly interacts with any of the MX substrates. The Dirac cone with a small gap ([Formula: see text] [Formula: see text]meV) has been observed in each of the cases. All the systems show quantum spin Hall effect and the quantum spin Hall conductivities have been estimated to be within the range [Formula: see text]S/cm, which are larger than that of the free standing silicene. Our calculations show that even if the systems have bulk band gaps but the edge states are conducting in nature.

A sustainable CVD approach for ZrN as a potential catalyst for nitrogen reduction reaction.

In pursuit of developing alternatives for the highly polluting Haber-Bosch process for ammonia synthesis, the electrocatalytic nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR) using transition metal nitrides such as zirconium mononitride (ZrN) has been identified as a potential pathway for ammonia synthesis. In particular, specific facets of ZrN have been theoretically described as potentially active and selective for NRR. Major obstacles that need to be addressed include the synthesis of tailored catalyst materials that can activate the inert dinitrogen bond while suppressing hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and not degrading during electrocatalysis. To tackle these challenges, a comprehensive understanding of the influence of the catalyst's structure, composition, and morphology on the NRR activity is required. This motivates the use of metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) as the material synthesis route as it enables catalyst nanoengineering by tailoring the process parameters. Herein, we report the fabrication of oriented and facetted crystalline ZrN thin films employing a single source precursor (SSP) MOCVD approach on silicon and glassy carbon (GC) substrates. First principles density functional theory (DFT) simulations elucidated the preferred decomposition pathway of SSP, whereas ab initio molecular dynamics simulations show that ZrN at room temperature undergoes surface oxidation with ambient O2, yielding a Zr-O-N film, which is consistent with compositional analysis using Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS) in combination with nuclear reaction analysis (NRA) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) depth profiling. Proof-of-principle electrochemical experiments demonstrated the applicability of the developed ZrN films on GC for NRR and qualitatively hint towards a possible activity for the electrochemical NRR in the sulfuric acid electrolyte.