Carbon-Based Catalysts for Selective Electrochemical Nitrogen-to-Ammonia Conversion

Electrochemical nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR) to ammonia (NH3) driven by renewable electricity is a promising alternative the current energy-intensive and fossil feedstock-dependent Haber–Bosch (H–B) process. The intrinsic inertness of N2 molecule competition hydrogen evolution (HER) are primary challenges for NRR. Although transition metal-based electrocatalysts can solve kinetic limitation N≡N activation through π-back-donation process, d-orbital electrons metal atoms facilitate formation metal-H bond, boosting undesirable HER. Carbon-based materials featuring tunable electronic structures facile defects have significantly improved electrocatalytic NRR activity in past few years. Therefore, review on state-of-the-art carbon-based catalysts timely provide summary recent developments theoretical experimental aspects. In this review, various defect engineering strategies desired comprehensively summarized. relationships between defective carbon performance also discussed detail. This aims stimulate greater interests developing more efficient future.