Efficient electrocatalytic N2 reduction on CoO quantum dots

Density functional theory calculations revealed that CoO possessed poor HER activity but favorable NRR activity. CoO quantum dots (2–5 nm) supported on graphene exhibited a high NH₃ yield of 21.5 μg h⁻¹ mg⁻¹ and a faradaic efficiency of 8.3% at −0.6 V vs. RHE under ambient conditions, superior to most of the reported NRR catalysts.