Citation: Shengkai Li, Yuqin Zou, Chen Chen, Shuangyin Wang, Zhao-Qing Liu. Defect engineered electrocatalysts for C–N coupling reactions toward urea synthesis[J]. Chinese Chemical Letters, ;2024, 35(8): 109147. doi: 10.1016/j.cclet.2023.109147 shu

Defect engineered electrocatalysts for C–N coupling reactions toward urea synthesis

Shengkai Li ^{a, b} ,
Yuqin Zou ^b ,
Chen Chen ^b ,
Shuangyin Wang ^{b, *,} ,
Zhao-Qing Liu ^{a, *,}

a.
Guangzhou Key Laboratory for Clean Energy and Materials/Key Laboratory for Water Quality and Conservation of the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
b.
State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Bio-Sensing and Chemometrics, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Advanced Catalytic Engineering Research Center of the Ministry of Education, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, China

shuangyinwang@hnu.edu.cn

lzqgzu@gzhu.edu.cn

Received Date: 15 August 2023
Revised Date: 4 September 2023
Accepted Date: 25 September 2023
Available Online: 27 September 2023

Figures(4)

Urea is extensively used in agriculture and chemical industry, and it is produced on an industrial scale from CO₂ and Haber–Bosch NH₃ under relatively high temperature and high pressure conditions, which demands high energy input and generates masses of carbon footprint. The conversion of CO₂ and N sources (such as NO₂⁻, NO₃⁻, and N₂) through electrocatalytic reactions under ambient conditions is a promising alternative to realize efficient urea synthesis. Of note, the design of electrocatalyst is one of the key factors that can improve the efficiency and selectivity of C–N coupling reactions. Defect engineering is an intriguing strategy for regulating the electronic structure and charge density of electrocatalysts, which endows electrocatalysts with excellent physicochemical properties and optimized adsorption energy of the reaction intermediates to reduce the kinetic barriers. In this minireview, recent advances of defect engineered electrocatalysts in urea electrosynthesis from CO₂ and various N reactants are firstly introduced. Mechanistic discussions of C–N coupling in these advances are presented, with the aim of directing future investigations on improving the urea yield. Finally, the prospects and challenges of defect engineered electrocatalysts for urea synthesis are discussed. This overview is expected to provide in-depth understanding of structure–reactivity relationship and shed light on future electrocatalytic C–N coupling reactions.
- Electrocatalysis,
- Defective electrocatalyst,
- Co-reduction,
- C–N coupling,
- Urea synthesis
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