Defect engineering for advanced electrocatalytic conversion of nitrogen-containing molecules

Electrocatalytic conversion of nitrogen-containing molecules into valuable chemicals is a promising strategy to alleviate anthropogenic imbalances in the global nitrogen cycle, but developing efficient electrocatalysts remains a formidable challenge. In recent years, the exploration of high-performance electrocatalysts has achieved significant progress by resorting to defect engineering strategy, which encouraged the researchers to understand the relationship between defects in catalysts and electrocatalytic performance. In this review, recent advances in defect engineering for advanced electrocatalytic conversion of nitrogen-containing molecules are systematically summarized, with special focus on electrocatalytic nitrogen oxidation and reduction, electrocatalytic nitric oxide oxidation and reduction, electrocatalytic nitrate reduction, and the construction of C-N bonds. Defects can effectively tune the electronic structure of catalysts, facilitate species diffusion, and provide more adsorption/active sites for reaction intermediates, thereby enhancing the electrocatalytic performance. Moreover, objective issues and future trends for optimizing electrocatalyst by defect engineering are proposed, which will contribute to the further development of advanced electrocatalytic conversion of nitrogen-containing molecules.