Identifying the role of interface chemical bonds in activating charge transfer for enhanced photocatalytic nitrogen fixation of Ni2P-black phosphorus photocatalysts

Efficient charge transfer plays a key factor in regulating the N2 reduction activity of photocatalyst, it is still challenging to steer the charge transfer in a precise approach. Herein, smartly-designed Ni2P-black phosphorus (Ni2P-BP) photocatalysts with abundant interface Ni-P bonds were synthesized by selectively growing of Ni2P at the edge of BP nanosheets. The interface Ni-P bonds between Ni2P and BP acted as atomic level electron transfer channels reduces the potential energy barrier for interface charge transfer, resulting in enhanced NH3 production activity. The Ni2P-BP photocatalyst achieves 100 % selectivity for photocatalytic N2 reduction to NH3 with the highest NH3 generation rate of 6.14 mu mol.h- 1.g- 1, which is 1.56 times higher than the Ni-P bond-free Ni2P nanoparticles loaded BP (Ni2P+BP) photocatalyst. More importantly, the Ni2P grown at the edge of BP passivates the reactivity of edge P atoms, significantly improving the stability of BP for photocatalytic nitrogen fixation.

Automated summary

The study investigated the impact of smartly-designed Ni2P-black phosphorus photocatalysts on NH3 production activity. The interface Ni-P bonds between Ni2P and black phosphorus acted as atomic level electron transfer channels, reducing the potential energy barrier for charge transfer, leading to enhanced NH3 production activity.