Surface engineering on bulk Cu2O for efficient electrosynthesis of urea

Electrochemical urea synthesis has recently emerged as a fascinating energy-efficient alternative route, while it remains challenging to achieve simultaneously high production rate and Faradaic efficiency. Herein, we realize an energy-favorable electrochemical C-N coupling path through CO2 and NO3− co-reduction at the heterointerfaces of Cu/Cu2O microparticles, generated by in-situ electrochemical engineering on bulk Cu2O. We achieve urea production rate of 632.1 μg h−1mgcat.−1 with a corresponding Faradaic efficiency of 42.3% at −0.3 V (versus RHE) under ambient conditions. Operando synchrotron radiation-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, along with theoretical calculations, reveals the coupling of…

• NN
  National Natural Science Foundation of China

  Awards: BL01B, 52072359
• UO
  University of Science and Technology of China

  Award: BL01B
• RP
  Recruitment Program of Global Experts

  Award: WK2060000016
• NS
  National Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory

  Award: BL01B
• FR
  Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities

  Award: WK2060000016