Thermally Enhanced Relay Electrocatalysis of Nitrate-to-Ammonia Reduction over Single-Atom-Alloy Oxides

The electrochemical nitrate reduction reaction (NO3RR) holds promise for converting nitrogenous pollutants to valuable ammonia products. However, conventional electrocatalysis faces challenges in effectively driving the complex eight-electron and nine-proton transfer process of the NO3RR while also competing with the hydrogen evolution reaction. In this study, we present the thermally enhanced electrocatalysis of nitrate-to-ammonia conversion over nickel-modified copper oxide single-atom alloy oxide nanowires. The catalyst demonstrates improved ammonia production performance with a Faradaic efficiency of approximately 80% and a yield rate of 9.7 mg h–1 cm–2 at +0.1 V versus a reversible hydrogen electrode at…

• WF
  Welch Foundation
• CA
  Camille and Henry Dreyfus Foundation
• NN
  National Natural Science Foundation of China

  Awards: 22304021, 52202372
• NK
  National Key Research and Development Program of China

  Award: 2022YFA1505300
• FR
  Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities

  Award: YJ2021151
• BE
  Basic Energy Sciences

  Award: DE-SC0019019