Ultrathin Ni/V-layered double hydroxide nanosheets for efficient visible-light-driven photocatalytic nitrogen reduction to ammonia

Ammonia is important for industrial development and human life. The traditional Haber Bosch method converts nitrogen into ammonia gas at high temperatures and pressures, causing serious pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. These problems prompt the nitrogen fixation method to proceed in a sustainable way. Ultrathin Ni/V-layered double hydroxides (Ni/V-LDHs) nanosheets with different proportions were prepared successfully for photocatalystic reduction of nitrogen to ammonia, through aqueous miscible organic solvent method (AMO) to achieve the higher surface area and rich oxygen vacancies, containing more carriers and active sites to enhance nitrogen reduction. And the optimal catalyst of Ni/V-LDHs 11 AMO possesses the highest photocatalytic efficiency (176 µmol·g−1·h−1), indicating its potential application prospects in catalyst fields. Consequently, this work achieves an environmentally friendly, low-cost and efficient conversion method for nitrogen reduction to ammonia through solar energy.