ENABLING NITROGEN REDUCTION CATALYSIS THROUGH SURFACE IMMOBILIZATION

The reduction of N₂ to ammonia is one of the largest scale catalytic processes in the world. However,It requires high temperatures and pressures to operate. Finding a room-temperature catalyst for reducing N₂ using protonation and electrochemical reduction would positively impact the world`s energy supply.

Using low-coordinate iron-N₂ complexes such as Aromatic beta-dialdiminate-Iron(I) could bring us a step further in this endeavor. However, further development of this system has been hindered by the formation of unreactive Fe-NN-Fe units. Anchoring the complex to a surface could prevent this N₂ bridging. In addition, attaching these compounds to a conductive surface and applying a current could enable electrons to be pumped into the metal and increase the catalytic activity.

We succeeded in creating ligand bearing monolayers as well as we have succeeded in inserting Iron in such a ligand monolayer on a silicon surface.

We are also studying SAMs bearing the Cobalt complex as a proof of concept of the catalytic ability of such catalysts on silicon surfaces towards different kind of reactions.