Fe/Cu diatomic catalysts for electrochemical nitrate reduction to ammonia
Abstract Electrochemical conversion of nitrate to ammonia offers an efficient approach to reducing nitrate pollutants and a potential technology for low-temperature and low-pressure ammonia synthesis. However, the process is limited by multiple competing reactions and NO3 − adsorption on cathode sur...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Nature Portfolio
2023-06-01
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| Series: | Nature Communications |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-39366-9 |
| Summary: | Abstract Electrochemical conversion of nitrate to ammonia offers an efficient approach to reducing nitrate pollutants and a potential technology for low-temperature and low-pressure ammonia synthesis. However, the process is limited by multiple competing reactions and NO3 − adsorption on cathode surfaces. Here, we report a Fe/Cu diatomic catalyst on holey nitrogen-doped graphene which exhibits high catalytic activities and selectivity for ammonia production. The catalyst enables a maximum ammonia Faradaic efficiency of 92.51% (−0.3 V(RHE)) and a high NH3 yield rate of 1.08 mmol h−1 mg−1 (at − 0.5 V(RHE)). Computational and theoretical analysis reveals that a relatively strong interaction between NO3 − and Fe/Cu promotes the adsorption and discharge of NO3 − anions. Nitrogen-oxygen bonds are also shown to be weakened due to the existence of hetero-atomic dual sites which lowers the overall reaction barriers. The dual-site and hetero-atom strategy in this work provides a flexible design for further catalyst development and expands the electrocatalytic techniques for nitrate reduction and ammonia synthesis. |
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| ISSN: | 2041-1723 |