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Synchrotron X-Ray-Driven Nitrogen Reduction on an AgCu Thin Film.

Jian HuiQingyun HuGenmao ZhuangWenhui HuJin YuYuzi LiuTianyi LiLonglong FanJier HuangXun-Li WangXiaoyi ZhangYang RenHong Wang
Published in: Small (Weinheim an der Bergstrasse, Germany) (2022)
Nitrogen (N 2 ) is an essential element for life, but kinetically stable N 2 in the atmosphere needs to be reduced to biologically available forms as a nutrient for organisms. Abiotic nitrogen fixation is critical to the origin of life on the early Earth, which is due to lightning or mineral-based reduction. Here, synchrotron X-ray-induced silver nitrate formation on a silver copper (AgCu) thin-film is reported. Time-resolved X-ray diffraction measurements show that under intense X-ray exposure, initially formed silver oxides (AgOx) are quickly converted to silver nitrate (AgNO 3 ). Interestingly, AgNO 3 is first formed in its high-temperature phase with a space group of R3cH, which gradually transforms to the room temperature phase with a space group of Pbca under continuous X-ray irradiation. The result not only provides a new clue about the abiotic nitrogen reduction prior to life but also demonstrates a novel strategy of materials synthesis using synchrotron X-rays.
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