Heterojunction photocatalysts for artificial nitrogen fixation: fundamentals, latest advances and future perspectives

As an indispensable energy source, ammonia plays an essential role in agriculture and various industries. Given that the current ammonia production is still dominated by the energy-intensive and high carbon footprint Haber-Bosch process, photocatalytic nitrogen fixation represents a low-energy consu...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Nanoscale 2021-04, Vol.13 (15), p.711-733
Main Authors: Lee, Jiale, Tan, Lling-Lling, Chai, Siang-Piao
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Ammonia
Basic converters
Haber Bosch process
Heterojunctions
Nitrogen
Nitrogenation
Photocatalysis
Photocatalysts
Semiconductor materials
Synergistic effect
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Summary:As an indispensable energy source, ammonia plays an essential role in agriculture and various industries. Given that the current ammonia production is still dominated by the energy-intensive and high carbon footprint Haber-Bosch process, photocatalytic nitrogen fixation represents a low-energy consuming and sustainable approach to generate ammonia. Heterostructured photocatalysts are hybrid materials composed of semiconductor materials containing interfaces that make full use of the unique superiorities of the constituents and synergistic effects between them. These promising photocatalysts have superior performances and substantial potential in photocatalytic reduction of nitrogen. In this review, a wide spectrum of recently developed heterostructured photocatalysts for nitrogen fixation to ammonia are evaluated. The fundamentals of solar-to-ammonia conversion, basic principles of various heterojunction photocatalysts and modification strategies are systematically reviewed. Finally, a brief summary and perspectives on the ongoing challenges and directions for future development of nitrogen photofixation catalysts are also provided. Heterojunction-type photocatalytic systems are promising nitrogen fixation photocatalysts for sustainable ammonia synthesis. Their fundamentals and application for solar-to-ammonia conversion, along with modification strategies are presented.
ISSN:2040-3364
2040-3372
DOI:10.1039/d1nr00783a