Ammonia electrosynthesis from nitrate using a stable amorphous/crystalline dual-phase Cu catalyst
Abstract Renewable energy-driven electrocatalytic nitrate reduction reaction presents a low-carbon and sustainable route for ammonia synthesis under mild conditions. Yet, the practical application of this process is currently hindered by unsatisfactory electrocatalytic activity and long-term stabili...
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Nature Portfolio
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Nature Communications |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-55889-9 |
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| author | Yi Wang Shuo Wang Yunfan Fu Jiaqi Sang Pengfei Wei Rongtan Li Dunfeng Gao Guoxiong Wang Xinhe Bao |
| author_facet | Yi Wang Shuo Wang Yunfan Fu Jiaqi Sang Pengfei Wei Rongtan Li Dunfeng Gao Guoxiong Wang Xinhe Bao |
| author_sort | Yi Wang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Renewable energy-driven electrocatalytic nitrate reduction reaction presents a low-carbon and sustainable route for ammonia synthesis under mild conditions. Yet, the practical application of this process is currently hindered by unsatisfactory electrocatalytic activity and long-term stability. Herein we achieve high-rate ammonia electrosynthesis using a stable amorphous/crystalline dual-phase Cu catalyst. The ammonia partial current density and formation rate reach 3.33 ± 0.005 A cm−2 and 15.5 ± 0.02 mmol h−1 cm−2 at a low cell voltage of 2.6 ± 0.01 V, respectively. Remarkably, the dual-phase Cu catalyst can maintain stable ammonia production with a Faradaic efficiency of around 90% at a high current density of 1.5 A cm−2 for up to 300 h. A scale-up demonstration with an electrode size of 100 cm2 achieves an ammonia formation rate as high as 11.9 ± 0.5 g h−1 at a total current of 160 A. The impressive electrocatalytic performance is ascribed to the presence of stable amorphous Cu domains which promote the adsorption and hydrogenation of nitrogen-containing intermediates, thus improving reaction kinetics for ammonia formation. This work underscores the importance of stabilizing metastable amorphous structures for improving electrocatalytic reactivity and long-term stability. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-3bc06c2ee8c14d378a93c3d058df880c |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2041-1723 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
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| series | Nature Communications |
| spelling | doaj-art-3bc06c2ee8c14d378a93c3d058df880c2025-01-26T12:42:27ZengNature PortfolioNature Communications2041-17232025-01-0116111110.1038/s41467-025-55889-9Ammonia electrosynthesis from nitrate using a stable amorphous/crystalline dual-phase Cu catalystYi Wang0Shuo Wang1Yunfan Fu2Jiaqi Sang3Pengfei Wei4Rongtan Li5Dunfeng Gao6Guoxiong Wang7Xinhe Bao8State Key Laboratory of Catalysis, Dalian National Laboratory for Clean Energy, iChEM (Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials), Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of SciencesState Key Laboratory of Catalysis, Dalian National Laboratory for Clean Energy, iChEM (Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials), Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of SciencesState Key Laboratory of Catalysis, Dalian National Laboratory for Clean Energy, iChEM (Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials), Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of SciencesState Key Laboratory of Catalysis, Dalian National Laboratory for Clean Energy, iChEM (Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials), Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of SciencesState Key Laboratory of Catalysis, Dalian National Laboratory for Clean Energy, iChEM (Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials), Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of SciencesState Key Laboratory of Catalysis, Dalian National Laboratory for Clean Energy, iChEM (Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials), Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of SciencesState Key Laboratory of Catalysis, Dalian National Laboratory for Clean Energy, iChEM (Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials), Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of SciencesState Key Laboratory of Catalysis, Dalian National Laboratory for Clean Energy, iChEM (Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials), Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of SciencesState Key Laboratory of Catalysis, Dalian National Laboratory for Clean Energy, iChEM (Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials), Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of SciencesAbstract Renewable energy-driven electrocatalytic nitrate reduction reaction presents a low-carbon and sustainable route for ammonia synthesis under mild conditions. Yet, the practical application of this process is currently hindered by unsatisfactory electrocatalytic activity and long-term stability. Herein we achieve high-rate ammonia electrosynthesis using a stable amorphous/crystalline dual-phase Cu catalyst. The ammonia partial current density and formation rate reach 3.33 ± 0.005 A cm−2 and 15.5 ± 0.02 mmol h−1 cm−2 at a low cell voltage of 2.6 ± 0.01 V, respectively. Remarkably, the dual-phase Cu catalyst can maintain stable ammonia production with a Faradaic efficiency of around 90% at a high current density of 1.5 A cm−2 for up to 300 h. A scale-up demonstration with an electrode size of 100 cm2 achieves an ammonia formation rate as high as 11.9 ± 0.5 g h−1 at a total current of 160 A. The impressive electrocatalytic performance is ascribed to the presence of stable amorphous Cu domains which promote the adsorption and hydrogenation of nitrogen-containing intermediates, thus improving reaction kinetics for ammonia formation. This work underscores the importance of stabilizing metastable amorphous structures for improving electrocatalytic reactivity and long-term stability.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-55889-9 |
| spellingShingle | Yi Wang Shuo Wang Yunfan Fu Jiaqi Sang Pengfei Wei Rongtan Li Dunfeng Gao Guoxiong Wang Xinhe Bao Ammonia electrosynthesis from nitrate using a stable amorphous/crystalline dual-phase Cu catalyst Nature Communications |
| title | Ammonia electrosynthesis from nitrate using a stable amorphous/crystalline dual-phase Cu catalyst |
| title_full | Ammonia electrosynthesis from nitrate using a stable amorphous/crystalline dual-phase Cu catalyst |
| title_fullStr | Ammonia electrosynthesis from nitrate using a stable amorphous/crystalline dual-phase Cu catalyst |
| title_full_unstemmed | Ammonia electrosynthesis from nitrate using a stable amorphous/crystalline dual-phase Cu catalyst |
| title_short | Ammonia electrosynthesis from nitrate using a stable amorphous/crystalline dual-phase Cu catalyst |
| title_sort | ammonia electrosynthesis from nitrate using a stable amorphous crystalline dual phase cu catalyst |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-55889-9 |
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