Department of Materials, Imperial College London, London, UK.
Department of Chemistry, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Nat Rev Chem. 2023 Mar;7(3):184-201. doi: 10.1038/s41570-023-00462-5. Epub 2023 Feb 1.
The Mo/Fe nitrogenase enzyme is unique in its ability to efficiently reduce dinitrogen to ammonia at atmospheric pressures and room temperature. Should an artificial electrolytic device achieve the same feat, it would revolutionize fertilizer production and even provide an energy-dense, truly carbon-free fuel. This Review provides a coherent comparison of recent progress made in dinitrogen fixation on solid electrodes, homogeneous catalysts and nitrogenases. Specific emphasis is placed on systems for which there is unequivocal evidence that dinitrogen reduction has taken place. By establishing the cross-cutting themes and synergies between these systems, we identify viable avenues for future research.
钼铁氮酶在常压和室温下高效还原氮气为氨的能力是独特的。如果一种人工电解装置能够实现同样的壮举，它将彻底改变肥料生产，甚至提供一种能量密集、真正无碳的燃料。本综述对固氮电极、均相催化剂和氮酶在固氮方面的最新进展进行了连贯的比较。特别强调了那些有明确证据表明发生了氮气还原的系统。通过确定这些系统之间的交叉主题和协同作用，我们确定了未来研究的可行途径。
