ACS Catalysis,
Journal Year:
2025,
Volume and Issue:
15(3), P. 1672 - 1683
Published: Jan. 16, 2025
The
electrochemical
nitrate
reduction
reaction
to
ammonia
(NRA)
is
gaining
increasing
attention
as
an
eco-friendly
approach
convert
harmful
pollutants
into
high-value
product
ammonia.
NRA
involves
two
critical
rate-determining
steps:
hydrogenation
of
the
*NO
and
*NOH
intermediates.
composite
Ni
Cu
has
been
demonstrated
exhibit
synergistic
catalytic
effects;
however,
research
on
combination
CuO
remains
limited.
Herein,
advanced
Ni-doped
copper
oxide
catalyst
with
a
hollow
square
morphology
(Ni–CuO)
reported
Faradaic
efficiency
95.26%
at
−0.8
V
vs
RHE
high
yield
rate
0.94
mmol
h–1
cm–2,
demonstrating
selectivity
stability.
Complementary
analyses
that
active
hydrogen
generated
sites
facilitates
*NOx
adsorbed
sites.
Theoretical
computations
further
confirm
thermodynamic
viability
this
bimetallic
mechanism.
Furthermore,
Al–NO3–
battery
open-circuit
voltage
was
constructed
by
using
Ni–CuO
cathode.
This
work
presents
synergistically
modulated
for
complex
processes
introduces
highly
efficient
capable
simultaneous
NH3
synthesis
electrical
energy
conversion,
underscoring
its
potential
in
catalysis
development
chemical
industries.
Advanced Materials,
Journal Year:
2023,
Volume and Issue:
36(17)
Published: June 9, 2023
Natural
nitrogen
cycle
has
been
severely
disrupted
by
anthropogenic
activities.
The
overuse
of
N-containing
fertilizers
induces
the
increase
nitrate
level
in
surface
and
ground
waters,
substantial
emission
oxides
causes
heavy
air
pollution.
Nitrogen
gas,
as
main
component
air,
used
for
mass
ammonia
production
over
a
century,
providing
enough
nutrition
agriculture
to
support
world
population
increase.
In
last
decade,
researchers
have
made
great
efforts
develop
processes
under
ambient
conditions
combat
intensive
energy
consumption
high
carbon
associated
with
Haber-Bosch
process.
Among
different
techniques,
electrochemical
reduction
reaction
(NO
Advanced Functional Materials,
Journal Year:
2023,
Volume and Issue:
33(43)
Published: June 25, 2023
Abstract
Ammonia
as
an
irreplaceable
chemical
has
been
widely
demanded
to
keep
the
sustainable
development
of
modern
society.
However,
its
industrial
production
consumes
huge
energy
and
releases
extraordinary
green‐house
gases,
leading
various
environmental
issues.
To
achieve
green
ammonia
is
a
great
challenge
that
extensively
pursued
recently.
In
review,
most
promising
strategy,
electrochemical
nitrate
reduction
reaction
(e‐NO
3
RR)
for
purpose
comprehensively
investigated
give
full
understanding
mechanism
provide
guidance
future
directions.
Particularly,
electrocatalysts
focused
realize
high
yield
rate
Faraday
efficiency
applications.
The
recent‐developed
catalysts,
including
noble
metallic
materials,
alloys,
metal
compounds,
single‐metal‐atom
metal‐free
are
systematically
discussed
review
effects
factors
on
catalytic
performance
in
e‐NO
RR.
Accordingly,
strategies,
defects
engineering,
coordination
environment
modulating,
surface
controlling,
hybridization,
carefully
improve
performance,
such
intrinsic
activity
selectivity.
Finally,
perspectives
challenges
given
out.
This
shall
insightful
advanced
systems
efficiently
industry.
Energy & Environmental Science,
Journal Year:
2023,
Volume and Issue:
16(7), P. 2991 - 3001
Published: Jan. 1, 2023
Laser-constructed
CuNi
alloy
electrodes
with
tandem
sites
of
Ni
provide
H*
and
Cu
for
NO
3
−
reduction,
achieving
ampere-level
reduction
high-performance
Zn–NO
batteries.
Angewandte Chemie International Edition,
Journal Year:
2023,
Volume and Issue:
62(43)
Published: Sept. 4, 2023
The
renewable-energy-powered
electroreduction
of
nitrate
(NO3-
)
to
ammonia
(NH3
has
garnered
significant
interest
as
an
eco-friendly
and
promising
substitute
for
the
Haber-Bosch
process.
However,
sluggish
kinetics
hinders
its
application
at
a
large
scale.
Herein,
we
first
calculated
N-containing
species
(*NO3
*NO2
binding
energy
free
hydrogen
evolution
reaction
over
Cu
with
different
metal
dopants,
it
was
shown
that
Zn
candidate.
Based
on
theoretical
study,
designed
synthesized
Zn-doped
nanosheets,
as-prepared
catalysts
demonstrated
excellent
performance
in
NO3-
-to-NH3
.
maximum
Faradaic
efficiency
(FE)
NH3
could
reach
98.4
%
outstanding
yield
rate
5.8
mol
g-1
h-1
,
which
is
among
best
results
up
date.
catalyst
also
had
cycling
stability.
Meanwhile,
presented
FE
exceeding
90
across
wide
potential
range
concentration
range.
Detailed
experimental
studies
revealed
doping
modulate
intermediates
adsorption
strength,
enhance
NO2-
conversion,
change
*NO
configuration
bridge
adsorption,
decrease
barrier,
leading
catalytic
ACS Catalysis,
Journal Year:
2023,
Volume and Issue:
13(13), P. 9125 - 9135
Published: June 26, 2023
Electrochemical
conversion
of
nitrate,
a
widespread
water
pollutant,
into
high-value-added
ammonia
is
renewable
and
delocalized
route
to
restore
the
globally
perturbed
nitrogen
cycle.
However,
premature
desorption
catalytic
intermediates
competitive
reaction
hydrogen
evolution
make
current
performance
still
far
from
suitable
for
practical
applications.
In
this
work,
Zr-based
metal–organic
framework
(MOF)
in
situ
constructed
at
interface
serve
as
smart
channel
highly
selective
electrocatalytic
reduction
nitrate
ammonia.
The
secondary
coordination
interaction
introduced
by
pendant
Brønsted
acidic
groups
MOF
not
only
effectively
stabilize
facilitate
overall
process
but
also
certainly
increase
proton
activation
barrier
suppress
competing
reaction.
When
coupled
with
nanocluster
active
center,
proof-of-concept
system
achieves
simultaneous
improvement
three
critical
parameters,
rate
97.6%,
an
selectivity
95.2%,
Faradaic
efficiency
91.4%
−1.0
V
(vs
RHE)
under
ultralow
concentration
conditions.
This
strategy
provides
interesting
application
MOFs
paves
way
removal
its
Journal of the American Chemical Society,
Journal Year:
2024,
Volume and Issue:
146(19), P. 12976 - 12983
Published: April 3, 2024
Electrocatalytic
reduction
of
nitrate
to
ammonia
(NRA)
has
emerged
as
an
alternative
strategy
for
sewage
treatment
and
generation.
Despite
excellent
performances
having
been
achieved
over
cobalt-based
electrocatalysts,
the
reaction
mechanism
well
veritable
active
species
across
a
wide
potential
range
are
still
full
controversy.
Here,
we
adopt
CoP,
Co,
Co3O4
model
materials
solve
these
issues.
CoP
evolves
into
core@shell
structured
CoP@Co
before
NRA.
For
Co
catalysts,
three-step
relay
is
carried
out
superficial
dynamical
Coδ+
under
low
overpotential,
while
continuous
hydrogenation
from
unveiled
high
overpotential.
In
comparison,
stable
steadily
catalyze
range.
As
result,
exhibit
much
higher
NRA
activity
than
especially
Moreover,
performance
although
they
experience
same
mechanism.
A
series
characterizations
clarify
reason
enhancement
highlighting
that
core
donates
abundant
electrons
species,
leading
generation
more
hydrogen
nitrogen-containing
intermediates.
Nature Communications,
Journal Year:
2024,
Volume and Issue:
15(1)
Published: April 1, 2024
Abstract
Nitrate
can
be
electrochemically
degraded
to
produce
ammonia
while
treating
sewage
it
remains
grand
challenge
simultaneously
realize
high
Faradaic
efficiency
and
production
rate
over
wide-range
concentrations
in
real
wastewater.
Herein,
we
report
the
defect-rich
Cu
nanowire
array
electrode
generated
by
in-situ
electrochemical
reduction,
exhibiting
superior
performance
nitrate
reduction
reaction
benefitting
from
triple
synergistic
modulation.
Notably,
delivers
current
density
ranging
50
1100
mA
cm
−2
across
wide
(1–100
mM)
with
90%.
Operando
Synchrotron
radiation
Fourier
Transform
Infrared
Spectroscopy
theoretical
calculations
revealed
that
defective
sites
enhance
adsorption,
promote
water
dissociation
suppress
hydrogen
evolution.
A
two-electrode
system
integrating
industrial
wastewater
glycerol
oxidation
achieves
of
550
at
−1.4
V
99.9%
selectivity
conversion
100
h
stability,
demonstrating
outstanding
practicability.
Advanced Materials,
Journal Year:
2023,
Volume and Issue:
35(48)
Published: Sept. 21, 2023
Ammonia
(NH3
),
known
as
one
of
the
fundamental
raw
materials
for
manufacturing
commodities
such
chemical
fertilizers,
dyes,
ammunitions,
pharmaceuticals,
and
textiles,
exhibits
a
high
hydrogen
storage
capacity
≈17.75%.
Electrochemical
nitrate
reduction
(NO3
RR)
to
valuable
ammonia
at
ambient
conditions
is
promising
strategy
facilitate
artificial
nitrogen
cycle.
Herein,
copper-doped
cobalt
selenide
nanosheets
with
selenium
vacancies
are
reported
robust
highly
efficient
electrocatalyst
ammonia,
exhibiting
maximum
Faradaic
efficiency
≈93.5%
an
yield
rate
2360
µg
h-1
cm-2
-0.60
V
versus
reversible
electrode.
The
in
situ
spectroscopical
theoretical
study
demonstrates
that
incorporation
Cu
dopants
Se
into
efficiently
enhances
electron
transfer
from
Co
atoms
via
bridging
atoms,
forming
electron-deficient
structure
sites
accelerate
NO3-
dissociation
stabilize
*NO2
intermediates,
eventually
achieving
selective
catalysis
entire
NO3
RR
process
produce
efficiently.
Angewandte Chemie International Edition,
Journal Year:
2023,
Volume and Issue:
62(38)
Published: Aug. 1, 2023
The
complexes
of
metal
center
and
nitrogen
ligands
are
the
most
representative
systems
for
catalyzing
hydrogenation
reactions
in
small
molecule
conversion.
Developing
heterogeneous
catalysts
with
similar
active
metal-nitrogen
functional
centers,
nevertheless,
still
remains
challenging.
In
this
work,
we
demonstrate
that
coupling
anti-perovskite
Co4
N
can
be
effective
modulated
by
Cu
doping
to
form
Co3
CuN,
leading
strongly
promoted
process
during
electrochemical
reduction
nitrate
(NO3-
RR)
ammonia.
combination
advanced
spectroscopic
techniques
density
theory
calculations
reveal
dopants
strengthen
Co-N
bond
upshifted
d-band
towards
Fermi
level,
promoting
adsorption
NO3-
*H
facilitating
transition
from
*NO2
/*NO
H/*NOH.
Consequently,
CuN
delivers
noticeably
better
RR
activity
than
pristine
N,
optimal
Faradaic
efficiency
97
%
ammonia
yield
455.3
mmol
h-1
cm-2
at
-0.3
V
vs.
RHE.
This
work
provides
an
strategy
developing
high-performance
catalyst
synthesis.