{
  "abstract": "Integrating isolated metal atoms and subnanometer clusters within highly doped, structurally ordered carbon frameworks remains challenging because thermal synthesis promotes dopant loss, metal migration, and structural disorder. We report a biphasic liquid–liquid solution plasma strategy that produces nitrogen-doped graphitic carbons with a record-high nitrogen content of 22.4 atomic% while stabilizing atomically dispersed platinum sites and subnanometer clusters. Analysis of 53 cyclic organic precursors by optical emission spectroscopy and machine learning identifies CN and C2 radicals as positive descriptors for nitrogen incorporation and graphitic ordering, whereas Hβ emission correlates with hydrogen termination and disorder. In ambient-pressure nonthermal plasma-assisted ammonia synthesis, this material used as a catalyst achieves 3.97 gNH3 kWh‒1 and sustained operation for 85 h without degradation. Infrared spectroscopy, isotope-switching experiments, and density functional theory are consistent with a proposed cooperative catalytic pathway involving nitrogen activation at isolated platinum sites, hydrogenation at platinum clusters, and a Mars–van Krevelen-like contribution from Pt–Nx–C motifs.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore",
    "Key Laboratory of Thermo-Fluid Science and Engineering of MOE, School of Energy and Power Engineering, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, China",
    "Institute for Aqua Regeneration, Shinshu University, Nagano, Japan",
    "Wenzhou Key Laboratory of Novel Optoelectronic and Nano Materials, Institute of Wenzhou, Zhejiang University, Wenzhou, China",
    "CSIRO Energy, Clayton South, VIC Australia",
    "State Key Laboratory of Electrical Insulation and Power Equipment, Centre for Plasma Biomedicine, School of Electrical Engineering, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, China",
    "CSIRO Technology, Lindfield, NSW Australia",
    "Ningbo China Beacons of Excellence Research and Innovation Institute, University of Nottingham, Ningbo, China",
    "Department of Chemical Engineering, School of Engineering, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK",
    "Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ USA",
    "Institute of Fluid Science, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan",
    "Department of Chemical Engineering, University of California, Davis, CA USA"
  ],
  "article_type": "research article",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 16,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Jiangqi Niu",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-0927-4599"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Shan Ding"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        1
      ],
      "name": "Xu Ma"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Zheng Lian"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2
      ],
      "name": "Chayanaphat Chokradjaroen"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        3
      ],
      "name": "Shijie Xian"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        4
      ],
      "name": "Sana Ullah"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Xiaohan Chen"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        4
      ],
      "name": "Yunxia Yang"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        5
      ],
      "name": "Rusen Zhou"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        5
      ],
      "name": "Renwu Zhou",
      "orcid": "0000-0003-1773-7095"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        6
      ],
      "name": "Anthony B. Murphy",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-2820-2304"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        3,
        7,
        8
      ],
      "name": "Xiaolei Fan",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-9039-6736"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        9,
        10
      ],
      "name": "Yiguang Ju",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-5656-2075"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        11
      ],
      "name": "Bruce C. Gates",
      "orcid": "0000-0003-0274-4882"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Sibudjing Kawi",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-0710-8423"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/a59dpan0hms04.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.1038/s41467-026-77160-5",
  "fulltext_url": "https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC13737194/",
  "id": "a59dpan0hms04",
  "issns": [
    "2041-1723"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-77160-5",
  "language": "en",
  "licence": "CC-BY-NC-ND-4.0",
  "licence_label": "CC BY-NC-ND 4.0",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "heading",
      "Article"
    ],
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      "openalex",
      "1503|Ammonia Synthesis and Nitrogen Reduction"
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  "openalex": "W7212133776",
  "pdf_url": "https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-026-77160-5_reference.pdf",
  "pmcid": "PMC13737194",
  "pmid": "42982801",
  "published": "2026-09-10",
  "publisher": "Nature Publishing Group",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/a59dpan0hms04.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-11-09T12:22:28Z",
      "native_id": "PMC13737194",
      "source": "pmc",
      "url": "https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-77160-5"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "chemistry",
      "origin": "openalex:1503|Ammonia Synthesis and Nitrogen Reduction",
      "subfield": "catalysis"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Plasma radicals control synthesis of platinum supported on nitrogen-doped graphitic carbon for ambient-pressure ammonia synthesis",
  "title_text": "Plasma radicals control synthesis of platinum supported on nitrogen-doped graphitic carbon for ambient-pressure ammonia synthesis",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-11-09T12:22:28Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/a59dpan0hms04",
  "venue": "Nature Communications",
  "versions": []
}