Boosted ammonium production by single cobalt atom catalysts with high Faradic efficiencies

Efficient n = O bond activation is crucial for the catalytic reduction of nitrogen compounds, which is highly affected by the construction of active centers. In this study, n = O bond activation was achieved by a single-atom catalyst (SAC) with phosphorus anchored on a Co active center to form intermediate N-species for further hydrogenation and reduction. Unique phosphorus-doped discontinuous active sites exhibit better n = O activation performance than conventional N-cooperated single-atom sites, with a high Faradic efficiency of 92.0% and a maximum ammonia yield rate of 433.3 μg NH4·h(−1)·cm(−2). This approach of constructing environmental sites through heteroatom modification significantly improves atom efficiency and will guide the design of future functional SACs with wide-ranging applications.