Photoelectrochemical Nitrogen Reduction to Ammonia on Cupric and Cuprous Oxide Photocathodes

Jang, Youn Jeong; Lindberg, Ann E.; Lumley, Margaret A.; Choi, Kyoung-Shin

doi:10.1021/acsenergylett.0c00711

Photoelectrochemical Nitrogen Reduction to Ammonia on Cupric and Cuprous Oxide Photocathodes

Journal Article · Mon May 18 00:00:00 EDT 2020 · ACS Energy Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/acsenergylett.0c00711· OSTI ID:2553086

Jang, Youn Jeong ^[1]; Lindberg, Ann E. ^[2]; Lumley, Margaret A. ^[2]; ^[2]

University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI (United States); University of Hanyang, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)
University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI (United States)

Photoelectrochemical N₂ reduction enables the production of NH₃ under ambient conditions using water as the hydrogen source. Furthermore, by utilizing solar energy, photoelectrochemical N₂ reduction can significantly reduce the energy input required for N₂ reduction. In this study, photoelectrochemical N₂ production was investigated using CuO and Cu₂O photocathodes that are known to be poorly catalytic for water reduction, the major reaction competing with N₂ reduction. When tested under simulated solar illumination with isotopically labeled ¹⁵N₂ in 0.1 M KOH solution, the CuO and Cu₂O photocathodes produced ¹⁵NH₃ with a Faradaic efficiency of 17% and 20% at 0.6 V and 0.4 V vs. RHE, respectively. These potentials are significantly more positive than the thermodynamic reduction potential of N₂, which demonstrates how the use of photoexcited electrons in the CuO and Cu₂O photocathodes can reduce the energy input required for NH₃ production. Here, the use of photoexcited electrons in these photocathodes for N₂ reduction, water reduction, and photocorrosion was carefully examined.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES). Chemical Sciences, Geosciences & Biosciences Division (CSGB)

Grant/Contract Number:: SC0008707

OSTI ID:: 2553086

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 1801873

Journal Information:: ACS Energy Letters, Journal Name: ACS Energy Letters Journal Issue: 6 Vol. 5; ISSN 2380-8195

Publisher:: American Chemical Society (ACS)Copyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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