A simple hydrothermal synthesis of an oxygen vacancy-rich MnMoO rod-like material and its highly efficient electrocatalytic nitrogen reduction.

Electrocatalytic nitrogen reduction (NRR) for artificial ammonia synthesis under ambient conditions is considered a promising alternative to the traditional Haber-Bosch process. However, it still faces multiple challenges such as the difficulty of N adsorption and activation and limited Faraday efficiency. In this work, a bimetallic oxide MnMoO was prepared by a hydrothermal method and low temperature calcination.

Challenges and Opportunities of Transition Metal Oxides as Electrocatalysts.

As a sustainable energy technology, electrocatalytic energy conversion and storage has become increasingly prominent. The oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), oxygen evolution reaction (OER), hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR), and carbon dioxide reduction reaction (CO RR) are the key steps in the industrial applications of energy conversion and storage. Compared to the widely used precious metal catalysts, less-noble transition metal oxides (TMOs) and TMO-like materials have attracted broad attention as electrocatalysts in the above reactions.