Toward Mild Conditions for N2 Activation: Progress and Challenges from Nitrogenase to Biomimetic Artificial Catalysts
- 1China University of Petroleum (East China) , , ,
Abstract
Nitrogen (N2), as the most abundant gas in the atmosphere, poses a long-standing challenge in chemistry and biochemistry due to its high bond energy (≈941 kJ·mol–1) and thus low reactivity under mild conditions. In nature, nitrogenase can reduce N2 to ammonia at ambient temperature and pressure, while industry relies on the energy-intensive Haber–Bosch process for ammonia synthesis. This paper systematically reviews the mechanisms and catalytic progress in biological nitrogen fixation and industrial ammonia synthesis, with a focus on the structure and catalytic mechanism of nitrogenase, as well as the catalytic mechanisms and green pathways for industrial ammonia production. It further summarizes the design strategies and recent advances in artificial nitrogen fixation catalysts inspired by nitrogenase. For example, a biomimetic iron–molybdenum dual-atom catalyst on carbonized delignified wood (FeMo-CDW) recently achieved an NH3 production rate of 336.03 μg·h–1·cm–2 under acidic conditions, while an Fe single-atom catalyst supported on monolayer MoS2 delivered an NH3 production rate of 97.5 ± 6 μg·h–1·cm–2, underscoring the practical promise of nitrogenase-inspired systems. By reviewing molecular catalysts, metal sulfides/carbides, single-atom catalysts, and related directions, this review paper outlines future development pathways for efficient nitrogen fixation catalytic systems under mild conditions, offering theoretical insights and design principles for breakthroughs in green ammonia synthesis technologies.
Related
- Small-Strain Tensile Characterization and Finite Element Calibration of Sodium Alginate-Based Biomimetic Artificial Muscle Strips
- Advanced biomimetic nanomedicines for cell-based therapeutics: prospects and challenges
- Cell Membrane-Coated Nanoparticles as Biomimetic Drug Delivery Systems: Design, Therapeutic Applications, and Translational Challenges.
- Biomimetic Fabrication and Osteogenic Efficacy Evaluation of Tilapia-Derived Collagen-Based Artificial Bone Scaffolds
- Predicting CYP450 Induction and PXR Activation with Machine Learning Approaches: Challenges and Opportunities
BibTeX
@article{zhao2026toward,
title = {{Toward Mild Conditions for N2 Activation: Progress and Challenges from Nitrogenase to Biomimetic Artificial Catalysts}},
author = {Li Zhao and Xiaofan Liu and Peixin Li and Qiuyue Wang and Yanyan Xi and Xufeng Lin},
journal = {ACS Omega},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1021/acsomega.6c07548},
url = {https://pubs.acs.org/acsodf/article/doi/10.1021/acsomega.6c07548/5460619/Toward-Mild-Conditions-for-N2-Activation-Progress},
note = {CC BY-NC-ND 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Toward Mild Conditions for N2 Activation: Progress and Challenges from Nitrogenase to Biomimetic Artificial Catalysts
AU - Li Zhao
AU - Xiaofan Liu
AU - Peixin Li
AU - Qiuyue Wang
AU - Yanyan Xi
AU - Xufeng Lin
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/29
JO - ACS Omega
DO - 10.1021/acsomega.6c07548
UR - https://pubs.acs.org/acsodf/article/doi/10.1021/acsomega.6c07548/5460619/Toward-Mild-Conditions-for-N2-Activation-Progress
AB - Nitrogen (N2), as the most abundant gas in the atmosphere, poses a long-standing challenge in chemistry and biochemistry due to its high bond energy (≈941 kJ·mol–1) and thus low reactivity under mild conditions. In nature, nitrogenase can reduce N2 to ammonia at ambient temperature and pressure, while industry relies on the energy-intensive Haber–Bosch process for ammonia synthesis. This paper systematically reviews the mechanisms and catalytic progress in biological nitrogen fixation and industrial ammonia synthesis, with a focus on the structure and catalytic mechanism of nitrogenase, as well as the catalytic mechanisms and green pathways for industrial ammonia production. It further summarizes the design strategies and recent advances in artificial nitrogen fixation catalysts inspired by nitrogenase. For example, a biomimetic iron–molybdenum dual-atom catalyst on carbonized delignified wood (FeMo-CDW) recently achieved an NH3 production rate of 336.03 μg·h–1·cm–2 under acidic conditions, while an Fe single-atom catalyst supported on monolayer MoS2 delivered an NH3 production rate of 97.5 ± 6 μg·h–1·cm–2, underscoring the practical promise of nitrogenase-inspired systems. By reviewing molecular catalysts, metal sulfides/carbides, single-atom catalysts, and related directions, this review paper outlines future development pathways for efficient nitrogen fixation catalytic systems under mild conditions, offering theoretical insights and design principles for breakthroughs in green ammonia synthesis technologies.
SN - 2470-1343
ER -