Congratulations to Ning Zhao for his paper accepted by Small!
Ammonia (NH3 ) decomposition to hydrogen (H2 ) offers a sustainable route for clean energy generation, benefiting from abundant feedstocks, ease of storage and zero-carbon cycle. Conventional NH3 decomposition, however, relies on Ru-based noble metal catalysts and requires temperatures above 400◦C, resulting in high cost and limited scalability. The development of efficient, low-cost catalysts that operate under mild conditions is therefore imperative. Here, we report a novel Z-scheme photocatalyst composed of Co-doped CdS quantum dots anchored on NH2 -MIL-53(Al) (Co-CdS QDs/MIL) via an interfacial N–Co–S single atom electron bridge (Co-SAEB). By precisely steering the separation and migration of photogenerated charges, this architecture drives efficient photocatalytic NH3 decomposition at ambient temperature. The catalyst achieves an exceptional H2 evolution rate of 18 µmol⋅g−1⋅s−1 , surpassing existing photocatalytic systems and approaching the performance of photothermal NH3 decomposition processes. Combined characterization and theoretical analyses reveal that the Co-SAEB is pivotal in establishing a direct Z- scheme charge-transfer pathway, which suppresses carrier recombination and enhances both redox capability and photocatalytic durability. This work advances the fundamental understanding of Z-scheme electron transfer and provides a design strategy for highly active, stable and adaptable photocatalytic materials.
