Boron and nitrogen dual-doped carbon nanospheres for efficient electrochemical reduction of N2 to NH3.

Boron and nitrogen dual-doped carbon nanospheres (BNC-NSs) show exceptional electrocatalytic activity toward the nitrogen reduction reaction, with an NH3 yield rate of 15.7 μgNH3 h-1 mgcat.-1 and faradaic efficiency of 8.1% at -400 mV vs. RHE in 0.05 M H2SO4 electrolyte. Meanwhile, stable electrocatalyst activity was also achieved for the BNC-NS electrocatalyst.