journal article·2025-08Open access

Dynamic Switching Spin State of Fe Single Atoms for Piezoelectric‐Mediated Overall Nitrogen Fixation Photosynthesis

Jie Yuan, Fang Chen, Wenhui Feng, Jianyu Xiao, Liang Wang, Songyu Luo, Zizhong Zhang, Jinlin Long, Wenxin Dai, Hongwei Huang

Advanced Materials· Volume 37· Issue 32

Abstract

Abstract Solar‐driven one‐step disproportionation overall nitrogen fixation (ONF) for synchronously synthesizing ammonia and nitrate presents a promising alternative to conventional Haber‐Bosch and Ostwald processes, but suffers from ultra‐low efficiency. Single atoms (SAs) featured by maximized atomic utilization exhibit superb catalytic activity, while the definite electronic configurations confine SAs to function solely as reduction or oxidation sites, limiting the possibility for both reduction and oxidation reactions. Herein, an efficient approach is presented for ammonia and nitrate co‐synthesis by introducing Fe SAs and alternating piezoelectric field into a defective piezoelectric BaTiO3 (OvBTO‐Fe), enabling the formation spatially‐separated redox regions and dynamic bidirectional switching of Fe spin states. At positive and negative polarization ends, Fe spin state transitions to high and low spin states through d‐electrons relocation, respectively, thermodynamically and kinetically facilitate nitrogen reduction and oxidation reactions. Thus, OvBTO‐Fe exhibits unprecedented piezo‐photocatalytic ONF activity, achieving a record solar‐to‐chemical conversion efficiency of 0.82% and total energy‐to‐chemical conversion efficiency of 0.53%. This work proposes a methodology for dynamic multi‐directional manipulation of spin states and overall catalytic synthesis reaction.
Source: crossref · Quality: baseline

Research context

OpenAlex topics: Ammonia Synthesis and Nitrogen Reduction · Advanced Photocatalysis Techniques · Nanomaterials for catalytic reactions

SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.

Affiliations

State Key Laboratory of Photocatalysis on Energy and Environment Fuzhou University Fuzhou 350116 P. R. China

Beijing Key Laboratory of Materials Utilization of Nonmetallic Minerals and Solid Wastes National Laboratory of Mineral Materials School of Materials Science and Technology China University of Geosciences Beijing 100083 P. R. China

Hunan Province Key Laboratory of Applied Environmental Photocatalysis Changsha University Changsha 410022 P. R. China

Funding

National Natural Science Foundation of China

References (47)

Show source-provided references
1. 10.1038/s41586-024-07495-w10.1038/s41586-024-07495-w ↗
2. 10.1038/s41570-023-00462-510.1038/s41570-023-00462-5 ↗
3. 10.1038/s41929-023-00952-110.1038/s41929-023-00952-1 ↗
4. 10.1038/s41467-023-41441-010.1038/s41467-023-41441-0 ↗
5. 10.1021/acs.nanolett.4c0169710.1021/acs.nanolett.4c01697 ↗
6. 10.1002/adma.20221173010.1002/adma.202211730 ↗
7. 10.1002/adma.20240877810.1002/adma.202408778 ↗
8. 10.1038/s41565-021-01022-y10.1038/s41565-021-01022-y ↗
9. 10.1016/j.joule.2021.12.01110.1016/j.joule.2021.12.011 ↗
10. 10.1002/aenm.20240065010.1002/aenm.202400650 ↗
11. 10.1038/s41467-021-21919-510.1038/s41467-021-21919-5 ↗
12. 10.1002/anie.20221683710.1002/anie.202216837 ↗
13. 10.1103/PhysRevLett.108.20680210.1103/PhysRevLett.108.206802 ↗
14. 10.1126/science.118402810.1126/science.1184028 ↗
15. 10.1002/adfm.20200515810.1002/adfm.202005158 ↗
16. 10.1002/anie.20200951810.1002/anie.202009518 ↗
17. 10.1016/j.nanoen.2024.11011510.1016/j.nanoen.2024.110115 ↗
18. 10.1002/adfm.20220218010.1002/adfm.202202180 ↗
19. 10.1073/pnas.230287312010.1073/pnas.2302873120 ↗
20. 10.1038/s41467-021-23115-x10.1038/s41467-021-23115-x ↗
21. 10.1016/j.chempr.2022.10.00110.1016/j.chempr.2022.10.001 ↗
22. 10.1021/jacs.3c0777710.1021/jacs.3c07777 ↗
23. 10.1038/s41563-024-01799-y10.1038/s41563-024-01799-y ↗
24. 10.1021/acs.nanolett.2c0004710.1021/acs.nanolett.2c00047 ↗
25. 10.1038/s41929-022-00877-110.1038/s41929-022-00877-1 ↗
26. 10.1002/adfm.20240466010.1002/adfm.202404660 ↗
27. 10.1002/adma.20231193710.1002/adma.202311937 ↗
28. 10.1002/adma.20220056310.1002/adma.202200563 ↗
29. 10.1002/anie.20201019210.1002/anie.202010192 ↗
30. 10.34133/2020/375031410.34133/2020/3750314 ↗
31. 10.1016/j.apcatb.2021.12076610.1016/j.apcatb.2021.120766 ↗
32. 10.1021/acssuschemeng.8b0613410.1021/acssuschemeng.8b06134 ↗
33. 10.1016/j.nanoen.2022.10702010.1016/j.nanoen.2022.107020 ↗
34. 10.1002/smll.20220611410.1002/smll.202206114 ↗
35. 10.1016/j.gee.2021.04.00910.1016/j.gee.2021.04.009 ↗
36. 10.1016/j.nanoen.2023.10878410.1016/j.nanoen.2023.108784 ↗
37. 10.1002/anie.20241234010.1002/anie.202412340 ↗
38. 10.1002/anie.20231638410.1002/anie.202316384 ↗
39. 10.1021/jacs.8b0207610.1021/jacs.8b02076 ↗
40. 10.1002/adma.20230384510.1002/adma.202303845 ↗
41. 10.1002/anie.20220093710.1002/anie.202200937 ↗
42. 10.1038/s41467-022-28740-810.1038/s41467-022-28740-8 ↗
43. 10.1038/s41467-023-41522-010.1038/s41467-023-41522-0 ↗
44. 10.1002/adfm.20190698310.1002/adfm.201906983 ↗
45. 10.1002/adma.20221075710.1002/adma.202210757 ↗
46. 10.1016/j.nanoen.2023.10825610.1016/j.nanoen.2023.108256 ↗
47. 10.1103/PhysRevLett.89.11760210.1103/PhysRevLett.89.117602 ↗