Fullerene on non-iron cluster-matrix co-catalysts promotes collaborative H and N activation for ammonia synthesis.

Developing highly effective catalysts for ammonia (NH) synthesis is a challenging task. Even the current, prevalent iron-derived catalysts used for industrial NH synthesis require harsh reaction conditions and involve massive energy consumption. Here we show that anchoring buckminsterfullerene (C) onto non-iron transition metals yields cluster-matrix co-catalysts that are highly efficient for NH synthesis. Such co-catalysts feature separate catalytic active sites for hydrogen and nitrogen. The 'electron buffer' behaviour of C balances the electron density at catalytic transition metal sites and enables the synergistic activation of nitrogen on transition metals in addition to the activation and migration of hydrogen on C sites. As demonstrated in long-term, continuous runs, the C-promoting transition metal co-catalysts exhibit higher NH synthesis rates than catalysts without C. With the involvement of C, the rate-determining step in the cluster-matrix co-catalysis is found to be the hydrogenation of *NH. C incorporation exemplifies a practical approach for solving hydrogen poisoning on a wide variety of oxide-supported Ru catalysts.