Promoting N 2 electroreduction to ammonia by fluorine-terminating Ti 3 C 2 T x MXene

Two-dimensional MXene-based materials are potential of presenting unique catalytic performances of electrocatalytic reactions. The surface functionalization of MXene-based catalysts is attractive for developing efficient electrocatalysts toward nitrogen reduction reaction. Herein, we reported a Ti 3 C 2 T x MXene with a medium density of surface functionalized fluorine terminal groups, as an excellent N 2 reduction reaction electrocatalyst with enhanced adsorption and activation of N 2 . The Ti 3 C 2 T x MXene catalyst showed a production rate of ammonia as 2.81 × 10 –5 μmol·s −1 ·cm −2 , corresponding to a partial current density of 18.3 μA·cm −2 and a Faradic efficiency of 7.4% at − 0.7 V versus reversible hydrogen electrode in aqueous solutions at ambient conditions, substantially exceeding similar Ti 3 C 2 T x MXene catalysts but with higher or lower densities of surface fluorine terminal groups. Our work suggests the capability of developing surface functionalization toolkit for enhancing electrochemical catalytic activities of two-dimensional MXene-based materials.