Photothermal-electrocatalysis interface for fuel-cell grade ammonia harvesting from the environment

Pengfei Wang, Panpan Li (), Zhicheng Pan, Kui Liu, Minghao Xie, Liwei Zhou, Min Zhou (), Guihua Yu () and Zhaoyu Jin ()
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Pengfei Wang: University of Electronic Science and Technology of China
Panpan Li: Sichuan University
Zhicheng Pan: Haitian Water Group
Kui Liu: Sichuan University
Minghao Xie: The University of Texas at Austin
Liwei Zhou: Ltd. Energy Engineering Branch
Min Zhou: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Guihua Yu: The University of Texas at Austin
Zhaoyu Jin: University of Electronic Science and Technology of China

Nature Communications, 2025, vol. 16, issue 1, 1-14

Abstract: Abstract The development of sustainable artificial nitrogen recycling technologies enables ammonia extraction from ambient sources, facilitating zero-carbon Water-Energy-Food (WEF) Nexus integration. While electrochemical reduction of oxidized nitrogen offers promise for ammonia synthesis, purifying low-concentration products remains a challenge, limiting practical applications and undermining the Haber-Bosch process’s viability. Here, we introduce a photothermal-electrocatalysis interface (PTEI) based on a Janus hybrid nanoarchitecture electrode, demonstrating synergistic enhancement in ammonia yield and evaporation performance. The photothermal-electrocatalysis interface-integrated system continuously produces and purifies ~2 M pure ammonia solution at up to 13.7 mg cm−2 h−1 from plasma-ionized air and achieves 80% total nitrogen recovery with 0.36 M ammonia from simulated industrial wastewater. This approach enables efficient extraction of concentrated ammonia for direct fuel cell use, offering techno-economic benefits and significantly reducing global warming impacts via life cycle assessment. Our findings highlight the PTEI system’s innovative potential in addressing WEF Nexus challenges, paving the way for sustainable waste-to-resource/fuel transitions.

Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-60636-1

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