Tuning Main Group Element-based Metal–Organic Framework to Boost Electrocatalytic Nitrogen Reduction Under Ambient Conditions

Main group element-based materials are emerging catalysts for ammonia (NH₃) production via a sustainable electrochemical nitrogen reduction reaction (N₂RR) pathway under ambient conditions. However, their N₂RR performances are less explored due to the limited active behavior and unclear mechanism. Here, an aluminum-based defective metal–organic framework (MOF), aluminum-fumarate (Al-Fum), is investigated. As a proof of concept, the pristine Al-Fum MOF is synthesized by the solvothermal reaction process, and the defect engineering method namely solvent-assisted linker exchange, is applied to create the defective Al sites. The defective Al sites play an important role in ensuring the N₂RR activity for defective Al-Fum. It is found that only the defective Al-Fum enables stable and effective electrochemical N₂RR, in terms of the highest production rate of 53.9 µg(NH₃) h⁻¹mg_cat⁻¹ (in 0.4 m K₂SO₄) and the Faradaic efficiency of 73.8% (in 0.1 m K₂SO₄) at −0.15 V vs reversible hydrogen electrode) under ambient conditions. Density functional theory calculations confirm that the N₂ activation can be achieved on the defective Al sites. Such sites also allow the subsequent protonation process via the alternating associative mechanism. This defect characteristic gives the main group Al-based MOFs the ability to serve as promising electrocatalysts for N₂RR and other attractive applications.