Tian‐Nan Ye

Ammonia is one of the most important feedstocks for the production of fertilizer and as a potential energy carrier. Nitride compounds such as LaN have recently attracted considerable attention due to their nitrogen vacancy sites that can activate N₂ for ammonia synthesis. Here, we propose a general rule for the design of nitride-based catalysts for ammonia synthesis, in which the nitrogen vacancy formation energy (<i>E</i>_NV) dominates the catalytic performance. The relativ

Effective integration of one-dimensional carbon nanofibers (CNF) and two-dimensional carbon sheets into three-dimensional (3D) conductive frameworks is essential for their practical applications as electrode materials. Herein, a novel "vein-leaf"-type 3D complex of carbon nanofibers with nitrogen-doped graphene (NG) was prepared through a simple thermal condensation of urea and bacterial cellulose. During the formation of the 3D complex CNF@NG, the graphene species was tethered to CNF via carbon

Single-atom catalysts (SACs) have attracted significant attention because they exhibit unique catalytic performance due to their ideal structure. However, maintaining atomically dispersed metal under high temperature, while achieving high catalytic activity remains a formidable challenge. In this work, we stabilize single platinum atoms within sub-nanometer surface cavities in well-defined 12CaO·7Al₂O₃ (C12A7) crystals through theoretical prediction and experimental process

The development of transition metal intermetallic compounds, in which active sites are incorporated in lattice frameworks, has great potential for modulating the local structure and the electronic properties of active sites, and enhancing the catalytic activity and stability. Here we report that a new copper-based intermetallic electride catalyst, LaCu_0.67Si_1.33, in which Cu sites activated by anionic electrons with low work function are atomically dispersed in the lattice

The current catalytic reaction mechanism for ammonia synthesis relies on either dissociative or associative routes, in which adsorbed N₂ dissociates directly or is hydrogenated step-by-step until it is broken upon the release of NH₃ through associative adsorption. Here, we propose a concerted mechanism of associative and dissociative routes for ammonia synthesis over a cobalt-loaded nitride catalyst. Isotope exchange experiments reveal that the adsorbed N₂ can be

An efficient red phosphor based on the substitution of Mn4+ for Ti4+ in the lattice of Mg2TiO4 was prepared through a sol–gel route. The phosphor was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and UV-vis spectroscopy and the luminescent properties of the samples with varying Mn4+ concentrations were investigated. The photoluminescence of the sol–gel prepared Mg2TiO4:Mn4+ phosphor was compared with the corresponding sample prepared via solid-state reaction and

Suzuki cross-coupling reactions catalyzed by palladium are powerful tools for the synthesis of functional organic compounds. Excellent catalytic activity and stability require negatively charged Pd species and the avoidance of metal leaching or clustering in a heterogeneous system. Here we report a Pd-based electride material, Y₃Pd₂, in which active Pd atoms are incorporated in a lattice together with Y. As evidenced from detailed characterization and density functional the

A unique nanoporous 12CaO·7Al₂O₃support material for Ru catalyst exhibited highly efficient chemoselective and sustainable for the formation of heterocycle hydrogenated products that surpasses other supported-metal catalysts in a solvent-free system.

Ammonia (NH₃) is one of the most important precursors of various chemicals and fertilizers. Given that ammonia synthesis via the traditional Haber-Bosch process requires high temperatures and pressures, it is critical to explore effective strategies and catalysts for ammonia synthesis under mild reaction conditions. Although electrocatalysis and photocatalysis can convert N₂ to NH₃ under mild conditions, their efficiencies and production scales are still far from

Controlling the electronic structure of heterogeneous metal catalysts is considered an efficient method to optimize catalytic activity. Here, we introduce a new electronic effect induced by the synergy of a stable electride and bimetallic nanoparticles for a chemoselective reduction reaction. The electride [Ca₂₄Al₂₈O₆₄]⁴⁺·(e^-)₄, with extremely low work function, promotes the superior activity and selectivity of a Ru-Fe nano-alloy

Abstract Effective integration of one‐dimensional carbon nanofibers (CNF) and two‐dimensional carbon sheets into three‐dimensional (3D) conductive frameworks is essential for their practical applications as electrode materials. Herein, a novel “vein‐leaf”‐type 3D complex of carbon nanofibers with nitrogen‐doped graphene (NG) was prepared through a simple thermal condensation of urea and bacterial cellulose. During the formation of the 3D complex CNF@NG, the graphene species was tethered to CNF v

Used paper was converted on a large scale to multifunctional graphene-tethered carbon fiber composite paper (GCCP) with a novel “carbon tree” subunit structure.

Highly crystalline mesocrystalline BaZrO3 hollow nanospheres offered higher photocatalytic activities. It is found that the highly crystalline sample can function as a "highway" for electron transport with less grain boundaries, resulting in better charge separation and thus photocatalytic performance.