articleJournal of the American Chemical SocietyJun 29, 2022Closed access

Potential-Driven Restructuring of Cu Single Atoms to Nanoparticles for Boosting the Electrochemical Reduction of Nitrate to Ammonia

JYJi YangHQHaifeng QiALAnqi LiXLXiaoyan LiuXYXiaofeng Yang

Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics · Xiamen University · +3 more institutions

PubMed
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Abstract

Restructuring is ubiquitous in thermocatalysis and of pivotal importance to identify the real active site, yet it is less explored in electrocatalysis. Herein, by using operando X-ray absorption spectroscopy in conjunction with advanced electron microscopy, we reveal the restructuring of the as-synthesized Cu–N4 single-atom site to the nanoparticles of ∼5 nm during the electrochemical reduction of nitrate to ammonia, a green ammonia production route upon combined with the plasma-assisted oxidation of nitrogen. The reduction of Cu2+ to Cu+ and Cu0 and the subsequent aggregation of Cu0 single atoms is found to occur concurrently with the enhancement of the NH3 production rate, both of them are driven by the…

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Topics & keywords

Topics
Keywords
  • Chemistry
  • Ammonia production
  • Electrocatalyst
  • Ammonia
  • Catalysis
  • Electrochemistry
  • Faraday efficiency
  • Electrolysis
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