Synergistic N/F Dual-Doped MoC/C Catalyst Synthesized via Liquid Phase Plasma for Sustainable Ammonia Production

NH₃ is a versatile solution for the storage and distribution of sustainable energy, offering high energy density and promising applications as a renewable hydrogen carrier. However, electrochemical NH₃ synthesis under ambient conditions remains challenging, such as low selectivity and efficiency, owing to the inertness of N≡N and competing reactions. In this study, a catalyst (MoC/NFC) comprising molybdenum carbide evenly dispersed on carbon doped with N and F heteroatoms was successfully synthesized using liquid-phase plasma. The MoC/NFC catalyst exhibited a maximum NH₃ yield of 115 μg h^-1 mg^-1_cat. with a faradaic efficiency of 1.15% at -0.7 V vs reversible hydrogen electrode in 0.1 M KOH electrolyte. Pyridinic- and pyrrolic-N atoms adjacent to the carbon pores served as active sites for N₂ adsorption and enabled N₂ triple bond cleavage. In addition, F doping contributed to N₂ activation owing to the high electronegativity of 3.98, resulting in the attraction of more electrons. These findings demonstrate a significant advancement in the development of efficient catalysts for electrochemical ammonia synthesis, potentially paving the way for scalable and sustainable NH₃ production methods that can support the growing demand for renewable energy storage solutions.