Formation of ammonia from N2 has been one of the major energy conversion reactions owing to its wide applications for an alternative source of energy storage and as a raw material of the fertilizer industry. However, the conventional Haber-Bosch method for NH3 production has been consuming a huge portion of global energy of 2%, which eventually releases CO2 annually up to 0.5 %. As mitigation, N2 electroreduction has been gaining growing attention owing to its low-cost energy conversion pathway from N2 to ammonia at ambient condition. Despite many glooming pieces of research, there has been a limitation for selectivity and low coulombic efficiency of NH3 because of competitive H2 evolution reaction. Therefore, our research focuses on the development of an optimum catalyst for selective N2 electroreduction reaction. The first part of the talk will emphasize the synthesis strategy of bimetallic shape selective nanocatalyst for N2 electroreduction reaction. We have thoroughly discussed that our homemade bimetallic alloy nanocatalyst exhibits 2-3 times higher faradaic efficiency for NH3 than the monometallic counterparts. More interestingly in the second part, we have demonstrated the plasmonic enhancement of the NH3 faradaic efficiency on irradiation of visible light owing LSPR (localized surface plasmon resonance) enhancement onto the Cu rich nanocage for the first time. This work paves the way for plasmonic enhancement of NH3 production on bimetallic alloy surface.

Selective electrocatalytic N2 reduction to ammonia by bimetallic nanocrystal

2019 Fall National Meeting

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