Photocatalytic N₂ fixation using chalcogenide-based nanomaterials

Abstract

The urgent need of the synthesis of ammonia (NH3) due to its utility in the agriculture and fine chemical industries attributed the researchers to design new technologies for nitrogen (N2) fixation. To date, NH3 has mostly been produced by the Haber-Bosch process in industry. Although, the proficiency of this process, that is, reduction of nitrogen carried out using high-elevated temperature and pressure besides of emission of CO2 gases. Hence, numerous studies had implanted to perform the nitrogen fixation process through mild conditions at room temperature. The exploration of metal chalcogenide-based nanomaterials had experienced tremendous efforts in the scientific community, especially in the field of photocatalysis because these materials had proved to possess a narrow band gap and strong absorption of visible light. In addition, the development in the biological method of ammonia formation using FeMo protein comprising of iron-sulfur clusters is also attracted greatest interest. Researches targeting the modification of FeMo protein and Fe protein only had been developed for investigation of light-driven the formation of ammonia from nitrogen. Therefore, the focus of this chapter is the survey of state-of-art engineering of efficient photocatalysts based on chalcogenide nanostructured for N2 fixation toward NH3 synthesis under visible light irradiation, in aqueous media, under ambient pressure and room temperature. Subsequently, the future prospects at the forefront of this research platform have been illustrated.