Surface-defect-engineered photocatalyst for nitrogen fixation into value-added chemical feedstocks

• Published in: Catalysis science & technology Vol. 1; no. 18; pp. 698 - 611
• Main Authors: Chen, Xue, Li, Jing-Yu, Tang, Zi-Rong, Xu, Yi-Jun
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge Royal Society of Chemistry 21.09.2020
• Subjects: Ammonia; Defects; Energy consumption; Fertilizers; Nitrates; Nitrogen; Nitrogenation; Photocatalysis; Photocatalysts; Photooxidation; Raw materials; Surface defects; Synthesis
• ISSN: 2044-4753; 2044-4761
• DOI: 10.1039/d0cy01227k

Efficient dinitrogen (N 2 ) utilization using nitrogen-containing compounds such as ammonia (NH 3 ) and nitrates, which are essential materials for modern fertilizers, medicines, etc. , is important to the development of human society. However, the industrial synthesis of NH 3 and nitrates requires high temperatures and pressures along with massive energy consumption. In this context, photocatalytic N 2 fixation is regarded as an alternative promising strategy for the synthesis of nitrogen-containing compounds under ambient conditions. In this minireview, fundamental photocatalytic N 2 fixation mechanisms, including N 2 photoreduction to NH 3 and photooxidation to nitrates, are initially elaborated. Then, we focus on the effects of surface defect engineering ( e.g. , surface vacancies and heteroatom dopants) over semiconductor-based photocatalysts for efficient N 2 fixation. Finally, we cast a personal perspective on the possible future challenges faced by defect-containing photocatalysts for N 2 fixation. We hope that this minireview can shed light on the further development of rational designs of defect-containing photocatalysts toward efficient N 2 fixation into diverse value-added chemical feedstocks. Surface-defect-engineered photocatalyst for nitrogen fixation.