Efficient Nitrogen Reduction on Weyl Antiferromagnet Mn3Sn

Abstract

AbstractTopological semimetals have gradually emerged as excellent catalysts owing to their robust surface states. Recently, Mn3X (X=Sn, Ge, and Ir), which exhibits noncollinear antiferromagnetic phases at room temperature, has been found to possess energy bands that are characteristic of Weyl semimetals. In this study, we demonstrate that the perfect Mn3Sn (001) surface is favorable for N2 reduction with a low onset potential. According to a theoretical criterion, the catalytic performance of the (001) surface of Mn3Sn is higher than that of the (001) surfaces of the homologues Cr3Sn and Mo3Sn. The construction and catalytic performance of other types of Mn3Sn surfaces are also investigated. Our findings highlight the feasibility of applying topological Weyl semimetals as electrocatalysts for N2 reduction.