Efficient asymmetrical silicon-metal dimer electrocatalysts for the nitrogen reduction reaction.

The electrocatalytic nitrogen reduction reaction (ENRR) has been regarded as an eco-friendly and feasible substitute for the Haber-Bosch method. Identifying the effective catalysts for the ENRR is an extremely important prerequisite but challenging. Herein, asymmetrical silicon-metal dimer catalysts doped into g-CN nanosheets with nitrogen vacancies (SiM@CN) were designed to address nitrogen activation and reduction.