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    碳负载Fe单原子催化剂配位微环境调控及其一氧化氮还原反应性能

    Tuning coordination microenvironment of carbon-supported Fe single-atom catalysts and nitric oxide reduction reaction performance

    • 摘要: 电催化一氧化氮还原反应(Nitric Oxide Reduction Reaction,NORR)能够在温和条件下将一氧化氮(NO)转化为高附加值产物氨(NH3)和羟胺(NH2OH),在污染物资源化利用与绿色化学领域具有重要意义。碳负载Fe单原子催化剂在电催化NORR中表现出优异的催化活性。通过调控金属活性位点的配位微环境,可有效调节其局域电子结构,从而进一步提升催化活性与选择性。Fe单原子催化剂通常是N4配位,通过引入电负性低于N且具有空轨道的B原子并调控B/N配位比例,可构建电负性梯度并打破配位对称性,从而重构Fe活性位点的局域电荷分布。构建了一系列碳负载FeNxB4−x (x = 0 ~ 3,其中x = 2包含α和β这2种构型)单原子催化剂,基于混合溶剂模型及密度泛函理论计算,系统探究了Fe活性位点的配位微环境对NORR反应路径、产物选择性及催化活性的影响。Gibbs自由能分析表明,所有催化剂上,NORR的电势决定步骤均为*NO的初始氢化步骤。不对称B/N配位的FeN3B1和FeN1B3催化剂表现出高的催化活性,其中FeN3B1催化剂的极限电势低至−0.61 V,显示出最佳催化活性。投影态密度分析表明,通过调控B/N配位比例,可调节Fe活性位点d轨道的态密度分布及d带中心(εd):当体系中引入1~2个B原子时,Fe位点的εd下移,对反应中间体的吸附强度减弱;当B原子含量进一步增加至3~4个时,εd则上移,对反应中间体的吸附强度增强。进一步关联分析表明,εd与NORR极限电势之间呈现典型的火山型关系,表明碳负载FeNxB4−x单原子催化剂对中间体吸附强度适中时催化活性最佳。因此,FeN3B1和FeN1B3催化剂表现出较优的催化性能。从配位结构与电子结构协同调控角度,阐明了Fe单原子位点不对称B/N配位微环境提升NORR催化性能的内在机制,提出以εd为关键活性描述符的催化剂设计准则,为高效NORR催化剂的理性设计提供了理论依据。

       

      Abstract: The electrocatalytic nitric oxide reduction reaction (NORR) converts nitric oxide (NO) into value-added ammonia (NH3) and hydroxylamine (NH2OH) under mild conditions, offering a promising route for pollutant valorization and green chemical synthesis. Carbon-supported Fe single-atom catalysts (SACs) exhibit high activity toward NORR, while their activity and selectivity can be regulated by tailoring the coordination microenvironment of the Fe center. Fe SACs are typically N4-coordinated. Substituting N with less electronegative B, which contains vacant orbitals, creates an electronegativity gradient and breaks coordination symmetry, thereby reconstructing the local charge distribution at the Fe site. A series of carbon-supported FeNxB4−x SACs (x = 0−3, with α and β isomers for x = 2) is evaluated using density functional theory calculations combined with a hybrid explicit–implicit solvent model. The effects of the coordination microenvironment on NORR pathways, product selectivity, and activity are systematically elucidated. Gibbs free-energy analysis shows that the potential-determining step on all catalysts is the initial hydrogenation of *NO. The asymmetrically B/N-coordinated FeN3B1 and FeN1B3 catalysts exhibit the highest activities, and FeN3B1 has a limiting potential of −0.61 V. Projected density-of-states analysis indicates that increasing the B/N coordination ratio first shifts the Fe d-band center (εd) downward when one or two B atoms are introduced and then upward when three or four B atoms are present, thereby weakening and subsequently strengthening intermediate adsorption. A volcano relationship is obtained between εd and the NORR limiting potential, demonstrating that optimal activity requires an intermediate adsorption strength. The Fe εd is therefore identified as a key activity descriptor, and asymmetric B/N coordination is established as a design principle for efficient NORR catalysts.

       

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