Surface-defect-engineered photocatalyst for nitrogen fixation into value-added chemical feedstocks

Efficient dinitrogen (N-2) utilization using nitrogen-containing compounds such as ammonia (NH3) and nitrates, which are essential materials for modern fertilizers, medicines,etc., is important to the development of human society. However, the industrial synthesis of NH(3)and nitrates requires high temperatures and pressures along with massive energy consumption. In this context, photocatalytic N(2)fixation is regarded as an alternative promising strategy for the synthesis of nitrogen-containing compounds under ambient conditions. In this minireview, fundamental photocatalytic N(2)fixation mechanisms, including N(2)photoreduction to NH(3)and photooxidation to nitrates, are initially elaborated. Then, we focus on the effects of surface defect engineering (e.g., surface vacancies and heteroatom dopants) over semiconductor-based photocatalysts for efficient N(2)fixation. Finally, we cast a personal perspective on the possible future challenges faced by defect-containing photocatalysts for N(2)fixation. We hope that this minireview can shed light on the further development of rational designs of defect-containing photocatalysts toward efficient N(2)fixation into diverse value-added chemical feedstocks.