Synergistic Contact‐Electro‐Catalysis and Photocatalysis via TiO <sub>2</sub> @PTFE Composites for Efficient N <sub>2</sub> to NH <sub>3</sub> Conversion

Catalytic nitrogen fixation from N<sub>2</sub> and water under mild conditions offers a sustainable NH<sub>3</sub> synthesis route. Herein, we report a synergistic nitrogen fixation strategy combining contact-electro-catalysis (CEC) with photocatalysis via one-step in situ hydrothermally synthesized TiO<sub>2</sub> @PTFE catalyst, and achieved an activity of 133.6 µmol g<sup>-1</sup> h<sup>-1</sup>. It represents 10.9-fold and 7.5-fold enhancements over pristine TiO<sub>2</sub> and PTFE, respectively, outperforming current CEC systems and many photocatalytic systems operating without sacrificial agents. Further characterization and theoretical calculations reveal the synergy: the composite catalyst enhances the CEC catalyst dispersion; the CEC-generated electric fields promote photogenerated charge separation and elevate the semiconductor's Fermi level, bolstering photocatalytic N<sub>2</sub> reduction; conversely, the semiconductor boosts CEC efficiency via enhanced N<sub>2</sub> adsorption and supplemental electron donation. We anticipate that this work establishes a "two birds with one stone" strategy, providing novel insights into CEC-photocatalysis synergy and a pathway for rational design of high-performance nitrogen fixation catalysts.

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Publication Details

Journal
Angewandte Chemie International Edition
Published
2025-09-25
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.202515707
Citations
5
Primary Topic
Ammonia Synthesis and Nitrogen Reduction
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
1.94
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article

Synergistic Contact‐Electro‐Catalysis and Photocatalysis via TiO 2 @PTFE Composites for Efficient N 2 to NH 3 Conversion

Kaiyang Shi, Wei Yieng Tang, Huan Meng, Shuai Ma et al.
5 citations
Angewandte Chemie International Edition
Ammonia Synthesis and Nitrogen Reduction
1.94
article

Synergistic Contact‐Electro‐Catalysis and Photocatalysis via TiO 2 @PTFE Composites for Efficient N 2 to NH 3 Conversion

Kaiyang Shi, Wei Yieng Tang, Huan Meng, Shuai Ma, Jiajin Liu
article en
5 citations

Abstract

Catalytic nitrogen fixation from N<sub>2</sub> and water under mild conditions offers a sustainable NH<sub>3</sub> synthesis route. Herein, we report a synergistic nitrogen fixation strategy combining contact-electro-catalysis (CEC) with photocatalysis via one-step in situ hydrothermally synthesized TiO<sub>2</sub> @PTFE catalyst, and achieved an activity of 133.6 µmol g<sup>-1</sup> h<sup>-1</sup>. It represents 10.9-fold and 7.5-fold enhancements over pristine TiO<sub>2</sub> and PTFE, respectively, outperforming current CEC systems and many photocatalytic systems operating without sacrificial agents. Further characterization and theoretical calculations reveal the synergy: the composite catalyst enhances the CEC catalyst dispersion; the CEC-generated electric fields promote photogenerated charge separation and elevate the semiconductor's Fermi level, bolstering photocatalytic N<sub>2</sub> reduction; conversely, the semiconductor boosts CEC efficiency via enhanced N<sub>2</sub> adsorption and supplemental electron donation. We anticipate that this work establishes a "two birds with one stone" strategy, providing novel insights into CEC-photocatalysis synergy and a pathway for rational design of high-performance nitrogen fixation catalysts.

Angewandte Chemie International EditionVol. 64(47)
Beijing Institute of Nanoenergy and Nanosystems (CN), University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (CN)
Openalex Percentile: Top 13%
Ammonia Synthesis and Nitrogen Reduction
1.94
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