High-Performance Electrochemical NO Reduction into NH3 by MoS2 Nanosheet

Electrochemical reduction of NO not only offers an attractive alternative to the Haber-Bosch process for ambient NH 3 production but mitigates the human-caused unbalance of nitrogen cycle. Herein, we report that MoS 2 nanosheet on graphite felt (MoS 2 /GF) acts as an efficient and robust 3D electrocatalyst for NO-to-NH 3 conversion. In acidic electrolyte, such MoS 2 /GF attains a maximal Faradaic efficiency of 75.9% and a large NH 3 yield of up to 91 µmol cm -2 h -1 . Using MoS 2 nanosheet-loaded carbon paper as the cathode, a proof-of-concept device of Zn-NO battery was assembled to deliver a discharge power density of 1.04 mW cm -2 and an NH 3 yield of 452 µg h -1 mg cat. -1 . Theoretical calculations reveal that the positively charged Mo-edge sites facilitate NO adsorption/activation via an acceptance-donation mechanism and unfavor the binding of protons and the coupling of N-N bond.