Ampere-level current density ammonia electrochemical synthesis using CuCo nanosheets simulating nitrite reductase bifunctional nature

Jia-Yi Fang, Qi-Zheng Zheng, Yao-Yin Lou (), Kuang-Min Zhao, Sheng-Nan Hu, Guang Li, Ouardia Akdim, Xiao-Yang Huang and Shi-Gang Sun ()
Additional contact information
Jia-Yi Fang: Xiamen University
Qi-Zheng Zheng: Xiamen University
Yao-Yin Lou: Xiamen University
Kuang-Min Zhao: Xiamen University
Sheng-Nan Hu: Xiamen University
Guang Li: Xiamen University
Ouardia Akdim: Cardiff University
Xiao-Yang Huang: Xiamen University
Shi-Gang Sun: Xiamen University

Nature Communications, 2022, vol. 13, issue 1, 1-13

Abstract: Abstract The development of electrocatalysts capable of efficient reduction of nitrate (NO3−) to ammonia (NH3) is drawing increasing interest for the sake of low carbon emission and environmental protection. Herein, we present a CuCo bimetallic catalyst able to imitate the bifunctional nature of copper-type nitrite reductase, which could easily remove NO2− via the collaboration of two active centers. Indeed, Co acts as an electron/proton donating center, while Cu facilitates NOx− adsorption/association. The bio-inspired CuCo nanosheet electrocatalyst delivers a 100 ± 1% Faradaic efficiency at an ampere-level current density of 1035 mA cm−2 at −0.2 V vs. Reversible Hydrogen Electrode. The NH3 production rate reaches a high activity of 4.8 mmol cm−2 h−1 (960 mmol gcat−1 h−1). A mechanistic study, using electrochemical in situ Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and shell-isolated nanoparticle enhanced Raman spectroscopy, reveals a strong synergy between Cu and Co, with Co sites promoting the hydrogenation of NO3− to NH3 via adsorbed *H species. The well-modulated coverage of adsorbed *H and *NO3 led simultaneously to high NH3 selectivity and yield.

Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (11)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-022-35533-6 Abstract (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:nat:natcom:v:13:y:2022:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-022-35533-6

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
https://www.nature.com/ncomms/

DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-35533-6

Access Statistics for this article

Nature Communications is currently edited by Nathalie Le Bot, Enda Bergin and Fiona Gillespie

More articles in Nature Communications from Nature
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Sonal Shukla () and Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing ().