Mechanistic Insights into Electrochemical Nitrogen Reduction Reaction on Vanadium Nitride Nanoparticles

Presented on November 14, 2019 during the Ammonia Energy Conference 2019

Authors Xuan Yang Jared Nash Yushan Yan Bingjun Xu University of Delaware

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Abstract

Renewable production of ammonia, a building block for most fertilizers, via the electrochemical nitrogen reduction reaction (ENRR) is desirable; however, a selective electrocatalyst is lacking. Here we show that vanadium nitride (VN) nanoparticles are active, selective, and stable ENRR catalysts. ENRR with 15N2 as the feed produces both 14NH3 and 15NH3, which indicates that the reaction follows a Mars–van Krevelen mechanism. Ex situ and operando characterizations indicate that VN0.7O0.45 is the active phase for ENRR and the conversion of VN0.7O0.45 to the VN phase leads to catalyst deactivation. Quantitative isotopic labeling results identify the amounts of two different types of active sites: 1) be stable at steady state and 2) deactivate during ENRR. The key kinetic parameters of ENRR have also be investigated.

Topics Ammonia Synthesis Catalysts Electrochemical Ammonia

Authors xuanyang@udel.edu jnash@udel.edu skattel@bnl.gov jgchen@columbia.edu yanys@udel.edu bxu@udel.edu

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