Work

MAX phase metal carbide-enabled triboelectric nanogenerator for integrated ammonia generation

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Electrochemical ammonia synthesis at ambient conditions offers a promising and eco-friendly alternative to conventional methods, which are highly energy-intensive and major contributors to global greenhouse gas emissions. To make this approach sustainable, it must be integrated with a renewable, clean, and affordable energy source. Here, we developed an eco-friendly approach to produce electrocatalytic ammonia powered by electricity generated from a triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) device through mechanical energy. The TENG device performance is improved by ternary MAX phase carbide Ti 2 AlC and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) polymer composite electrodes, and it can be operated with low-frequency mechanical energy. Ti 2 AlC was found suitable to modulate the triboelectric properties of PDMS with improved charge transfer, dielectric behavior, and surface roughness. We employed an optimized Ti 2 AlC/PDMS TENG to power electrocatalytic ammonia synthesis by electrochemical nitrate reduction using a V 2 C MXene catalyst, which efficiently triggers the reaction from the TENG output. Further, continuous ammonia generation during long-term mechanically operated TENG experiments validates the feasibility of developing such a clean energy loop. While TENG-driven electrochemical systems have been demonstrated for hydrogen evolution, pollutant degradation, and ammonia synthesis using non-MAX-based TENG devices. Here, we integrate a MAX (Ti 2 AlC)/PDMS-based TENG with a V 2 C MXene electrocatalyst for nitrate reduction to ammonia, establishing a previously unexplored triboelectric-catalyst pairing for self-powered ammonia synthesis. This integration presents a novel direction for the utilization of MAX phase compounds for triboelectric application and TENG-based ammonia production systems.

Source: Applied Materials Today

DOI: 10.1016/j.apmt.2025.102919

Authors: Shidhin Mappoli, Keval K. Sonigara, Radhika Nittoor-Veedu, Martin Pumera