Iron phosphide nanoparticles anchored on N-doped carbon as efficient electrocatalysts for nitrate reduction reaction

Electrochemical transformation nitrate to ammonia at ambient conditions is a green alternative approach to the conventional Haber-Bosch process, while suffering from a restricted ammonia yield rate owing to the multi-step electron and proton transfer. Herein, we reported a quintessential bubble-like iron phosphides nanoparticles anchored on N-doped carbon framework (FeP@NC) electrocatalyst for nitrate reduction reaction (NO3RR). The FeP@NC catalyst exhibits 93.12 % NH3 faradaic efficiency (FE) at −0.5 V with the yield rate of 626.07 mmol h−1 gcat−1, superior over these for Fe@NC. DFT calculations indicate that the phosphorization promotes the absorption of NO3− and following hydrogenation, beneficial for NO3RR. This study provides a reference of transition metal phosphides for efficient NO3− removal and conversion.