Selective electrocatalytic synthesis of urea with nitrate and carbon dioxide

Chade Lv, Lixiang Zhong, Hengjie Liu, Zhiwei Fang, Chunshuang Yan, Mengxin Chen, Yi Kong, Carmen Lee, Daobin Liu, Shuzhou Li (), Jiawei Liu, Li Song (), Gang Chen, Qingyu Yan () and Guihua Yu ()
Additional contact information
Chade Lv: Nanyang Technological University
Lixiang Zhong: Nanyang Technological University
Hengjie Liu: University of Science and Technology of China
Zhiwei Fang: The University of Texas at Austin
Chunshuang Yan: Nanyang Technological University
Mengxin Chen: Nanyang Technological University
Yi Kong: School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology
Carmen Lee: Nanyang Technological University
Daobin Liu: Nanyang Technological University
Shuzhou Li: Nanyang Technological University
Jiawei Liu: Nanyang Technological University
Li Song: University of Science and Technology of China
Gang Chen: School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology
Qingyu Yan: Nanyang Technological University
Guihua Yu: The University of Texas at Austin

Nature Sustainability, 2021, vol. 4, issue 10, 868-876

Abstract: Abstract Synthetic nitrogen fertilizer such as urea has been key to increasing crop productivity and feeding a growing population. However, the conventional urea production relies on energy-intensive processes, consuming approximately 2% of annual global energy. Here, we report on a more-sustainable electrocatalytic approach that allows for direct and selective synthesis of urea from nitrate and carbon dioxide with an indium hydroxide catalyst at ambient conditions. Remarkably, Faradaic efficiency, nitrogen selectivity and carbon selectivity reach 53.4%, 82.9% and ~100%, respectively. The engineered surface semiconducting behaviour of the catalyst is found to suppress hydrogen evolution reaction. The key step of C–N coupling initiates through the reaction between *NO2 and *CO2 intermediates owing to the low energy barrier on {100} facets. This work suggests an appealing route of urea production and provides deep insight into the underlying chemistry of C–N coupling reaction that could guide sustainable synthesis of other indispensable chemicals.

Date: 2021
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:nat:natsus:v:4:y:2021:i:10:d:10.1038_s41893-021-00741-3

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DOI: 10.1038/s41893-021-00741-3

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