Splicing the active phases of copper/cobalt-based catalysts achieves high-rate tandem electroreduction of nitrate to ammonia

Abstract Electrocatalytic recycling of waste nitrate (NO 3 − ) to valuable ammonia (NH 3 ) at ambient conditions is a green and appealing alternative to the Haber−Bosch process. However, the reaction requires multi-step electron and proton transfer, making it a grand challenge to drive high-rate NH 3 synthesis in an energy-efficient way. Herein, we present a design concept of tandem catalysts, which involves coupling intermediate phases of different transition metals, existing at low applied overpotentials, as cooperative active sites that enable cascade NO 3 − -to-NH 3 conversion, in turn avoiding the generally encountered scaling relations. We implement the concept by electrochemical transformation of Cu−Co…

• EC
  European Commission

  Awards: 833408, 813006
• DF
  Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft

  Awards: 390677874, EXC 2033-390677874-RESOLV, EXC 2033, 2033-390677874, 2033-390677874-RESOLV, Germany's Excellence Strategy-EXC 2033-390677874, 390677874-RESOLV, Germany's Excellence Strategy-EXC 2033-390677874-RESOLV, EXC 2033-390677874
• BF
  Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung