Engineering Ce Promoter to Regulate H * Species to Boost Tandem Electrocatalytic Nitrate Reduction for Ammonia Synthesis

Abstract The renewable‐energy‐powered electroreduction of nitrate (NO 3 RR) to ammonia emerges as a generalist for contamination remediation, green ammonia synthesis, and even advanced energy conversion, garnering significant interest. However, it comes across limited ammonia yield and selectivity due to the imbalance active hydrogen (H * ) supply within cutting‐edge single‐center Cu‐based materials. Herein, secondary Ce entity is engineered into Cu/MoO 2 @C substrate by thermal treatment of Ce‐doping NENU‐5 precursors to provide H * effectively. A high NH 3 yield rate (20.3 ± 0.7 mg h −1 mg cat. −1 ) and NO 3 − −to−NH 3 Faradaic efficiency (92 ± 3%) at −0.4 V (vs RHE) can be reached in 5%Ce‐Cu/MoO 2 @C,…

• NN
  National Natural Science Foundation of China

  Awards: 22271274, 22020102003, 22025506, 22271036
• PG
  People's Government of Jilin Province
• NS
  Natural Science Foundation of Liaoning Province

  Award: 2023-MSBA-012
• NK
  National Key Research and Development Program of China

  Award: 2024YFA1509403
• FR
  Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities

  Award: DUT24MS012