Photocatalytic N2 reduction with water by sunlight irradiation is a challenging issue toward sustainable energy society, but previously reported photocatalysts had suffered from low stability and low activity. We prepared a boron-doped carbon nitride (BCN) semiconductor powder loaded with nickel phosphide particles (Ni2P) as cocatalysts. The Ni2P/BCN catalyst, when photoirradiated in pure water by simulated sunlight under N2 flow, successfully produces NH3 at room temperature. The B doping leads to a positive shift of the valence band level and enhances water oxidation by the photoformed holes. The Ni2P particles efficiently receive the conduction band electrons of BCN, leading to enhanced charge separation of the photoformed hole and electron pairs, and behave as N2 reduction sites. Simulated sunlight irradiation of the catalyst in water stably generates NH3 with 0.010% solar-to-chemical conversion efficiency. This noble-metal-free system therefore shows a significant potential for N2 photofixation.

中文翻译：

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负载有磷化镍颗粒的掺硼氮化碳上的水光催化还原二氮。

通过阳光辐照用水光催化还原N2是可持续能源社会面临的一个挑战性问题，但是先前报道的光催化剂稳定性低，活性低。我们制备了掺有磷化镍颗粒（Ni2P）作为助催化剂的掺硼氮化碳（BCN）半导体粉末。Ni2P / BCN催化剂在纯净水中通过模拟太阳光在N2流下进行光辐照时，在室温下成功产生NH3。B掺杂导致价带能级发生正向偏移，并通过光形成的空穴增强水的氧化。Ni2P颗粒有效地接收BCN的导带电子，从而导致光形成空穴和电子对的电荷分离增强，并充当N2还原位。催化剂在水中的模拟阳光照射稳定地产生了具有0.010％的日光化学转化效率的NH3。因此，这种不含贵金属的系统显示出了N2光固定的巨大潜力。