Enhanced photocatalytic ammonia generation from water and nitrogen by decorating BiOCl nanosheets with CoOOH oxygen evolution reaction cocatalyst. (June 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Mohebinia, M.; Xing, X.; Yang, G.; Wang, D.; Solares-Bockmon, C.; Ren, Z.; Bao, J.
• Is Part Of: Materials today chemistry. Volume 24(2022)
• Publication Date: 2022-06
• Subjects: Cobalt oxyhydroxide -- Bismuth oxychloride -- Photocatalysis -- Ammonia generation -- Oxygen evolution reaction; Chemistry -- Periodicals; Materials -- Research -- Periodicals; Materials science -- Periodicals; Chemistry; Materials -- Research; Electronic journals; Periodicals; 660.282
• DOI: 10.1016/j.mtchem.2022.100993
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2468-5194

Abstract

Abstract: Photocatalytic synthesis of ammonia from N2 and water consists of N2 reduction and water oxidation, but most research is focused only on the N2 reduction. Here, we demonstrated a strategy to improve ammonia generation by enhancing water oxidation through an oxygen evolution reaction (OER) cocatalyst. We employed cobalt oxyhydroxide as an OER cocatalyst for a well-known nitrogen reduction photocatalyst bismuth oxychloride (BiOCl). A series of cobalt-doped BiOCl (Co–BiOCl) nanoplatelets were synthesized through a combination of coprecipitation and hydrothermal synthesis with systematic variation in the percentage of added cocatalyst. The formation of a few atom clusters of cobalt oxyhydroxide was verified via X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, electron microscopy, Raman, and infrared spectroscopy. A 4.6-fold improvement in the ammonia production rate was realized with 5% Co–BiOCl. OER from water using Co–BiOCl was performed and correlated well with the ammonia generation. Enhancing water oxidation by loading of an OER cocatalyst points a promising and applicable method for better N2 fixation photocatalyst design. Graphical abstract: Image 1 Highlights: A few atom clusters of cobalt oxyhydroxide were effectively anchored on the surface of bismuth oxychloride single crystals. 5% cobalt oxyhydroxide loaded bismuth oxychloride exhibited a remarkable ammonia generation rate. A positive correlation between ammonia generation and oxygen evolution rates was observed.