Bimetallic Mo-Co Nanoparticles Anchored on Nitrogen-Doped Carbon for Enhanced Electrochemical Nitrogen Fixation

Electrocatalytic nitrogen fixation under room temperature and ambient pressure is considered as one of the most energy-and environmental-friendly approaches to ammonia (NH3) production. The construction of efficient catalysts for electrocatalytic nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR) remains a significant challenge. However, there have been no report dedicated to non-noble bimetals on nitrogen-doped carbons as efficient NRR electrocatalyst, considering from either side of the ‘volcano’ plot. Herein, the Mo-Co bimetallic nanoparticles anchored on the N-doped porous carbon (Mo-Co/NC) is firstly developed and served as a cost-effective catalyst candidate for the NRR. In comparison to single-metallic Co/NC, bimetallic Mo-Co/NC catalyst exhibits the enhanced activity and selectivity of NRR electrocatalysis with a ammonia yield (89.8 µmol h−1 gcat.−1) and Faradic efficiency (13.5%), at a low operating potential of −0.10 V (vs. RHE) in 0.1 M Na2SO4. Moreover, the composite catalyst shows high electrochemical stability and selectivity during 50000 s NRR process. The favorable NRR electrocatalytic activity of Mo-Co/NC could be ascribed to the synergistic effect of strongly adsorbed Mo and weakly adsorbed Co composite. This work provides a facile strategy towards design of porous non-precious metallic electrocatalyst for efficient NRR at ambient conditions.