Green synthesis of urea under ambient conditions by electrochemical co‐reduction of N2 and CO2 gases using effective electrocatalyst essentially pushes the conventional two steps (N2 + H2 = NH3 and NH3 + CO2 = CO(NH2)2) industrial process at high temperature and high pressure, to the brink. The single step electrochemical green urea synthesis process has hit a roadblock due to the lack of efficient and economically viable electrocatalyst with multiple active sites for dual reduction of N2 and CO2 gas molecules to urea. Herein, copper phthalocyanine nanotubes (CuPc NTs) having multiple active sites (such as metal center, Pyrrolic‐N3, Pyrrolic‐N2, and Pyridinic‐N1) as an efficient electrocatalyst which exhibits urea yield of 143.47 µg h–1 mg–1cat and faradaic efficiency of 12.99% at –0.6 V versus reversible hydrogen electrode by co‐reduction of N2 and CO2 are reported. Theoretical calculation suggests that Pyridinic‐N1 and Cu centers are responsible to form CN bonds for urea by co‐reduction of N2 to NN* and CO2 to *CO, respectively. This study provides the new mechanistic insight about the successful electro‐reduction of dual gases (N2 and CO2) in a single molecule as well as rational design of efficient noble metal‐free electrocatalyst for the synthesis of green urea.
Green synthesis of urea under ambient conditions by electrochemical co-reduction of N 2 and CO 2 gases using effective electrocatalyst essentially pushes the conventional two steps (N 2 + H 2 = NH 3 & NH 3 + CO 2 = CO (NH 2 ) 2 ) industrial process at high temperature and high pressure, to the brink. The single step electrochemical green urea synthesis process has hit a roadblock due to the lack of efficient and economically viable electrocatalyst with multiple active sites for dual reduction of N 2 and CO 2 gas molecules to urea. Herein, copper phthalocyanine nanotubes (CuPc NTs) having multiple active sites (such as metal center, Pyrrolic-N3, Pyrrolic-N2, and Pyridinic-N1) are reported to exhibit urea yield of 143.47 µg h -1 mg -1 cat and FE of 12.99% at -0.6 V vs RHE by co-reduction of N 2 and CO 2 . Theoretical calculation suggests that Pyridinic-N1 and Cu centers are responsible to form C-N bonds for urea by reduction of N 2 to NN* and CO 2 to *CO respectively. This study not only provides the new mechanistic insight about the successful electro-reduction of dual gases (N 2 and CO 2 ) in a single component, but also helps to select for rational design of the efficient noble metal-free electrocatalyst for the synthesis of green urea.
Green synthesis of urea under ambient conditions by electrochemical co-reduction of N2 and CO2 gases using effective electrocatalyst essentially pushes the conventional two steps (N2 + H2 = NH3 & NH3 + CO2 = CO (NH2)2) industrial process at high temperature and high pressure, to the brink. The single step urea synthesis process has hit a roadblock due to the lack of efficient and economically viable electrocatalyst with multiple active sites for dual reduction of N2 and CO2 gas molecules to urea. Herein, CuPc nanotubes having multiple active sites (such as metal center, Pyrrolic-N3, Pyrrolic-N2, and Pyridinic-N1) are reported to exhibit urea yield of 143.47 µg h-1 mg-1cat and FE of 12.99% at –0.6 V vs RHE by co-reduction of N2 and CO2. Theoretical calculation suggests that Pyridinic-N1 and Cu centers are responsible to form C-N bonds for urea by reduction of N2 to NN* and CO2 to *CO respectively.
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