Doped 2D VX2 (X = S, Se, Te) monolayers as electrocatalysts for ammonia production: a DFT based study

TitleDoped 2D VX2 (X = S, Se, Te) monolayers as electrocatalysts for ammonia production: a DFT based study
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2022
AuthorsMaibam, A, BabaRao, R, Krishnamurty, SA
JournalApplied Surface Science
Volume602
Pagination154401
Date PublishedNOV
Type of ArticleArticle
ISSN0169-4332
Keywords1T and 2H phases, DFT, electrocatalysts, Nitrogen Reduction Reaction, Non metal dopants, Vanadium dichalcogenides
Abstract

Electrocatalytic nitrogen fixation under ambient conditions on vanadium dichalcogenides (VX2) with non-metal dopants has been explored herein. Understanding the interface chemistry, inherent electronic and acute synergistic nature of non-metal dopants on two unique phases of VX2 has been meticulously explored through a scrutiny of several non-metal atoms as catalytic centers. The efficacity of N-2 chemisorption and N-N bond activation has been implemented as crucial parameters to realize boron and carbon doped VX2 monolayers to be electrocatalytically active for nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR). Detailed investigation on the NRR mechanism brings out the pivotal role of thermodynamic favourability for product formation obtained from Gibbs free energy differences. The charge transfer on N and pi-pi* orbital hybridization and electron ``donor-acceptor `` mechanism between the non-metal and N-2 has been found to modulate the electrocatalytic barrier for NRR on VX2 monolayers. This study proposes boron doped VS2 as an efficient chemically feasible, earth abundant sustainable electrocatalyst for NRR with an overpotential as low as 0.06 eV.

DOI10.1016/j.apsusc.2022.154401
Type of Journal (Indian or Foreign)

Foreign

Impact Factor (IF)

7.392

Divison category: 
Physical and Materials Chemistry
Database: 
Web of Science (WoS)

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