Magnetic-Field-Induced Spin Transition in Single-Atom Catalysts for Nitrate Electrolysis to Ammonia.
basic_science · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 40364618.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1021/acs.nanolett.5c01516 and PMC identifier 12123665.
- Licence recorded as CC BY-NC-ND.
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Abstract
Electrochemical nitrate reduction (NitRR) using single-atom catalysts (SACs) offers a promising pathway for sustainable ammonia production. Herein, we explore the use of external magnetic fields to regulate the spin state of Ru SACs supported on nitrogen-doped carbon (Ru-N-C), aiming to optimize their catalytic performance toward NitRR. Under magnetic field conditions, Ru-N-C exhibits a remarkable NH<sub>3</sub> yield rate of ∼38 mg L<sup>-1</sup> h<sup>-1</sup> and a Faradaic efficiency of ∼95% over 200 h. Our spectroscopic and magnetic characterization demonstrates that the external magnetic field induces a spin transition to a high-spin state in Ru SACs/N-C. Theoretical analysis further suggests that the increased spin state of Ru shifts the density of states away from the Fermi level, weakening the adsorption affinity for *NH<sub>2</sub>. Economic analysis hints at cost effectiveness and scalability. Overall, this study demonstrates that magnetic-field-induced spin modulation effectively optimizes NitRR electrocatalysts.