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Xie A, Martínez-Vargas DR, Yang Z, Zou S. Efficient selenate removal from impaired waters with TiO 2-assisted electrocatalysis. WATER RESEARCH 2024; 262:122134. [PMID: 39067272 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2024.122134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2024] [Revised: 07/10/2024] [Accepted: 07/21/2024] [Indexed: 07/30/2024]
Abstract
Aquatic selenium (Se) oxyanions have profound ecosystem and human health impacts, necessitating their conversion and immobilization into elemental Se(0) to mitigate the aquatic Se pollution. While thermodynamically favorable, this transformation encounters kinetic limitations, especially for selenate (SeO42-) or Se(VI). To lower the activation barrier, we investigated the electrocatalytic Se(VI) transformation using five affordable catalysts on graphite cathodes, including TiO2, underpotentially deposited Cu (UPD Cu), underpotentially deposited Cd (UPD Cd), Co, and CuFe. Among these five catalysts, we identified characteristic Se(VI) reduction peaks for TiO2 through cyclic voltammetry. Other catalysts removed less than 5% of 1-mM Se(VI) in 24-h chronoamperometry tests while leaching ppm-level metal cations in the treated water. In contrast, TiO2 as the electrocatalyst could remove more than 80% of 1-mM Se(VI) with negligible catalyst dissolution. Mechanistic investigations revealed a six-electron Se(VI)/Se(0) reduction pathway at -0.30 V (vs. Ag/AgCl), resulting in red Se(0) deposits on the TiO2-coated graphite cathode. Further potential decrease to more negative than -0.45 V led to Se(-II) formation, triggering cathodic Se(0) dissolution and surface regeneration. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy indicated that Se(VI) reduction was optimal with a moderate TiO2 loading of 0.55 mg cm-2 and acidic environments (pH=1.0∼2.5), achieving an optimized removal of 88.7 ± 2.3% under -0.70 V and an energy input of 3.6 kWh kg-1 Se. These findings lay the foundation for efficient selenate removal from impaired waters. Future efforts should evaluate catalyst performance over time and refine electrode and reactor designs to improve efficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ao Xie
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama 36849, USA
| | | | - Zilan Yang
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama 36849, USA
| | - Shiqiang Zou
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama 36849, USA.
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2
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Shen Z, Chen G, Cheng X, Xu F, Huang H, Wang X, Yang L, Wu Q, Hu Z. Self-enhanced localized alkalinity at the encapsulated Cu catalyst for superb electrocatalytic nitrate/nitrite reduction to NH 3 in neutral electrolyte. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2024; 10:eadm9325. [PMID: 38985876 PMCID: PMC11235175 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adm9325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2024] [Indexed: 07/12/2024]
Abstract
The electrocatalytic nitrate/nitrite reduction reaction (eNOx-RR) to ammonia (NH3) is thermodynamically more favorable than the eye-catching nitrogen (N2) electroreduction. To date, the high eNOx-RR-to-NH3 activity is limited to strong alkaline electrolytes but cannot be achieved in economic and sustainable neutral/near-neutral electrolytes. Here, we construct a copper (Cu) catalyst encapsulated inside the hydrophilic hierarchical nitrogen-doped carbon nanocages (Cu@hNCNC). During eNOx-RR, the hNCNC shell hinders the diffusion of generated OH- ions outward, thus creating a self-enhanced local high pH environment around the inside Cu nanoparticles. Consequently, the Cu@hNCNC catalyst exhibits an excellent eNOx-RR-to-NH3 activity in the neutral electrolyte, equivalent to the Cu catalyst immobilized on the outer surface of hNCNC (Cu/hNCNC) in strong alkaline electrolyte, with much better stability for the former. The optimal NH3 yield rate reaches 4.0 moles per hour per gram with a high Faradaic efficiency of 99.7%. The strong-alkalinity-free advantage facilitates the practicability of Cu@hNCNC catalyst as demonstrated in a coupled plasma-driven N2 oxidization with eNOx-RR-to-NH3.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhen Shen
- Key Laboratory of Mesoscopic Chemistry of MOE and Jiangsu Provincial Laboratory for Nanotechnology, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, P. R. China
| | - Guanghai Chen
- Key Laboratory of Mesoscopic Chemistry of MOE and Jiangsu Provincial Laboratory for Nanotechnology, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, P. R. China
| | - Xueyi Cheng
- Key Laboratory of Mesoscopic Chemistry of MOE and Jiangsu Provincial Laboratory for Nanotechnology, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, P. R. China
| | - Fengfei Xu
- Key Laboratory of Mesoscopic Chemistry of MOE and Jiangsu Provincial Laboratory for Nanotechnology, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, P. R. China
| | - Hongwen Huang
- College of Materials Science and Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha, Hunan 410082, P. R. China
| | - Xizhang Wang
- Key Laboratory of Mesoscopic Chemistry of MOE and Jiangsu Provincial Laboratory for Nanotechnology, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, P. R. China
| | - Lijun Yang
- Key Laboratory of Mesoscopic Chemistry of MOE and Jiangsu Provincial Laboratory for Nanotechnology, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, P. R. China
| | - Qiang Wu
- Key Laboratory of Mesoscopic Chemistry of MOE and Jiangsu Provincial Laboratory for Nanotechnology, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, P. R. China
| | - Zheng Hu
- Key Laboratory of Mesoscopic Chemistry of MOE and Jiangsu Provincial Laboratory for Nanotechnology, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, P. R. China
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Chipoco Haro DA, Barrera L, Iriawan H, Herzog A, Tian N, Medford AJ, Shao-Horn Y, Alamgir FM, Hatzell MC. Electrocatalysts for Inorganic and Organic Waste Nitrogen Conversion. ACS Catal 2024; 14:9752-9775. [PMID: 38988657 PMCID: PMC11232026 DOI: 10.1021/acscatal.4c01398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2024] [Revised: 05/23/2024] [Accepted: 05/24/2024] [Indexed: 07/12/2024]
Abstract
Anthropogenic activities have disrupted the natural nitrogen cycle, increasing the level of nitrogen contaminants in water. Nitrogen contaminants are harmful to humans and the environment. This motivates research on advanced and decarbonized treatment technologies that are capable of removing or valorizing nitrogen waste found in water. In this context, the electrocatalytic conversion of inorganic- and organic-based nitrogen compounds has emerged as an important approach that is capable of upconverting waste nitrogen into valuable compounds. This approach differs from state-of-the-art wastewater treatment, which primarily converts inorganic nitrogen to dinitrogen, and organic nitrogen is sent to landfills. Here, we review recent efforts related to electrocatalytic conversion of inorganic- and organic-based nitrogen waste. Specifically, we detail the role that electrocatalyst design (alloys, defects, morphology, and faceting) plays in the promotion of high-activity and high-selectivity electrocatalysts. We also discuss the impact of wastewater constituents. Finally, we discuss the critical product analyses required to ensure that the reported performance is accurate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danae A Chipoco Haro
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, North Avenue 771 Ferst Dr., Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
| | - Luisa Barrera
- George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 770 Ferst Ave, Atlanta, Georgia 30309, United States
| | - Haldrian Iriawan
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Antonia Herzog
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
- Research Laboratory of Electronics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Nianhan Tian
- School of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
| | - Andrew J Medford
- School of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
| | - Yang Shao-Horn
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
- Research Laboratory of Electronics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Faisal M Alamgir
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, North Avenue 771 Ferst Dr., Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
| | - Marta C Hatzell
- School of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
- George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 770 Ferst Ave, Atlanta, Georgia 30309, United States
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Wei Y, Huang J, Chen H, Zheng SJ, Huang RW, Dong XY, Li LK, Cao A, Cai J, Zang SQ. Electrocatalytic Nitrate Reduction on Metallic CoNi-Terminated Catalyst with Industrial-Level Current Density in Neutral Medium. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2024; 36:e2404774. [PMID: 38721927 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202404774] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2024] [Revised: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024]
Abstract
Green ammonia synthesis through electrocatalytic nitrate reduction reaction (eNO3RR) can serve as an effective alternative to the traditional energy-intensive Haber-Bosch process. However, achieving high Faradaic efficiency (FE) at industrially relevant current density in neutral medium poses significant challenges in eNO3RR. Herein, with the guidance of theoretical calculation, a metallic CoNi-terminated catalyst is successfully designed and constructed on copper foam, which achieves an ammonia FE of up to 100% under industrial-level current density and very low overpotential (-0.15 V versus reversible hydrogen electrode) in a neutral medium. Multiple characterization results have confirmed that the maintained metal atom-terminated surface through interaction with copper atoms plays a crucial role in reducing overpotential and achieving high current density. By constructing a homemade gas stripping and absorption device, the complete conversion process for high-purity ammonium nitrate products is demonstrated, displaying the potential for practical application. This work suggests a sustainable and promising process toward directly converting nitrate-containing pollutant solutions into practical nitrogen fertilizers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingying Wei
- Green Catalysis Center, and College of Chemistry, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, China
| | - Jingjing Huang
- Green Catalysis Center, and College of Chemistry, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, China
| | - Hong Chen
- Green Catalysis Center, and College of Chemistry, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, China
| | - Su-Jun Zheng
- Green Catalysis Center, and College of Chemistry, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, China
| | - Ren-Wu Huang
- Green Catalysis Center, and College of Chemistry, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, China
| | - Xi-Yan Dong
- Green Catalysis Center, and College of Chemistry, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, China
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Henan Polytechnic University, Jiaozuo, 454003, China
| | - Lin-Ke Li
- Green Catalysis Center, and College of Chemistry, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, China
| | - Ang Cao
- State Key Laboratory for Clean Energy Utilization, Institute for Thermal Power Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China
| | - Jinmeng Cai
- Green Catalysis Center, and College of Chemistry, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, China
| | - Shuang-Quan Zang
- Green Catalysis Center, and College of Chemistry, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, China
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5
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Zhou S, Dai Y, Song Q, Lu L, Yu X. Efficient Electrochemical Nitrate Removal by Ordered Ultrasmall Intermetallic AuCu 3 via Enhancing Nitrate Adsorption. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2024. [PMID: 38605516 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.4c01739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/13/2024]
Abstract
Developing a high-performance electrocatalyst for synthesizing ammonia from nitrate represents a promising solution for addressing wastewater pollution and achieving sustainable ammonia production. However, it remains a formidable challenge. Herein, an intermetallic AuCu3 electrocatalyst with high-density active sites is designed and prepared for an efficient nitrate electroreduction to generate ammonia. Remarkably, the Faraday efficiency and yield rate of ammonia at -0.9 V are 97.6% and 75.9 mg h-1 cm-2, respectively. More importantly, after 10 cycles of testing, the removal rate of nitrate can still reach 95.2%. Electrochemical in situ Fourier transform infrared analysis indicates that AuCu3 IM can promote the adsorption of nitrate and enhance ammonia production from nitrate. *NH3, *NO, and *NO2 have been proven to be active intermediates. Theoretical and experimental studies show that the Au site can provide a large amount of *H for nitrate reduction, and the Cu site is conducive to the reduction of nitrate to produce nitrogen-containing products. Meanwhile, AuCu3 intermetallic compounds (AuCu3 IM) can inhibit the dimerization of *H. The power density and ammonia yield of the assembled Zn-nitrate battery reached 2.17 mW cm-2 and 71.2 mg h-1 cm-2, respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuanglong Zhou
- College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qingdao 266042, China
- School of Computer Science and Technology, Shandong University of Technology, Zibo 255000, China
| | - Yu Dai
- School of Foreign Languages, Qingdao City University, Qingdao 266042, China
| | - Qiang Song
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Harbin Normal University, Harbin 150025, China
| | - Lina Lu
- School of Business, Shandong University of Technology, Zibo 255000, China
| | - Xiao Yu
- School of Computer Science and Technology, Shandong University of Technology, Zibo 255000, China
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Gong Z, Xiang X, Zhong W, Jia C, Chen P, Zhang N, Zhao S, Liu W, Chen Y, Lin Z. Modulating Metal-Nitrogen Coupling in Anti-Perovskite Nitride via Cation Doping for Efficient Reduction of Nitrate to Ammonia. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2023; 62:e202308775. [PMID: 37526944 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202308775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2023] [Revised: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 08/02/2023]
Abstract
The complexes of metal center and nitrogen ligands are the most representative systems for catalyzing hydrogenation reactions in small molecule conversion. Developing heterogeneous catalysts with similar active metal-nitrogen functional centers, nevertheless, still remains challenging. In this work, we demonstrate that the metal-nitrogen coupling in anti-perovskite Co4 N can be effective modulated by Cu doping to form Co3 CuN, leading to strongly promoted hydrogenation process during electrochemical reduction of nitrate (NO3 - RR) to ammonia. The combination of advanced spectroscopic techniques and density functional theory calculations reveal that Cu dopants strengthen the Co-N bond and upshifted the metal d-band towards the Fermi level, promoting the adsorption of NO3 - and *H and facilitating the transition from *NO2 /*NO to *NO2 H/*NOH. Consequently, the Co3 CuN delivers noticeably better NO3 - RR activity than the pristine Co4 N, with optimal Faradaic efficiency of 97 % and ammonia yield of 455.3 mmol h-1 cm-2 at -0.3 V vs. RHE. This work provides an effective strategy for developing high-performance heterogeneous catalyst for electrochemical synthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiheng Gong
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Solid Wastes Pollution Control and Recycling, School of Environment and Energy, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, P. R. China
| | - Xuepeng Xiang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Solid Wastes Pollution Control and Recycling, School of Environment and Energy, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, P. R. China
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 999077, P. R. China
| | - Wenye Zhong
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Solid Wastes Pollution Control and Recycling, School of Environment and Energy, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, P. R. China
| | - Chenghao Jia
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Solid Wastes Pollution Control and Recycling, School of Environment and Energy, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, P. R. China
| | - Peiyan Chen
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Solid Wastes Pollution Control and Recycling, School of Environment and Energy, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, P. R. China
| | - Nian Zhang
- Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility, Zhangjiang Laboratory, Shanghai Advanced Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201204, P. R. China
| | - Shijun Zhao
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 999077, P. R. China
| | - Weizhen Liu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Solid Wastes Pollution Control and Recycling, School of Environment and Energy, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, P. R. China
| | - Yan Chen
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Solid Wastes Pollution Control and Recycling, School of Environment and Energy, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, P. R. China
| | - Zhang Lin
- Chinese National Engineering Research Center for Control & Treatment of Heavy Metal Pollution, School of Metallurgy and Environment, Central South University, Changsha, 410083, P. R. China
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7
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Gao W, Xie K, Xie J, Wang X, Zhang H, Chen S, Wang H, Li Z, Li C. Alloying of Cu with Ru Enabling the Relay Catalysis for Reduction of Nitrate to Ammonia. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2023; 35:e2202952. [PMID: 36871207 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202202952] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 40.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Revised: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Involving eight electron transfer process and multiple intermediates of nitrate (NO3 - ) reduction reaction leads to a sluggish kinetic and low Faradaic efficiency, therefore, it is essential to get an insight into the reaction mechanism to develop highly efficient electrocatalyst. Herein, a series of reduced-graphene-oxide-supported RuCu alloy catalysts (Rux Cux /rGO) are fabricated and used for the direct reduction of NO3 - to NH3 . It is found that the Ru1 Cu10 /rGO shows the ammonia formation rate of 0.38 mmol cm-2 h-1 (loading 1 mg cm-2 ) and the ammonia Faradaic efficiency of 98% under an ultralow potential of -0.05 V versus Reversible Hydrogen Electode (RHE), which is comparable to Ru catalyst. The highly efficient activity of Ru1 Cu10 /rGO can be attributed to the synergetic effect between Ru and Cu sites via a relay catalysis, in which the Cu shows the exclusively efficient activity for the reduction of NO3 - to NO2 - and Ru exhibits the superior activity for NO2 - to NH3 . In addition, the doping of Ru into Cu tunes the d-band center of alloy and effectively modulates the adsorption energy of the NO3 - and NO2 - , which promotes the direct reduction of NO3 - to NH3 . This synergetic electrocatalysis strategy opens a new avenue for developing highly efficient multifunctional catalysts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wensheng Gao
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Catalysis, Gansu Province, State Key Laboratory of Applied Organic Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730000, China
| | - Kefeng Xie
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Lanzhou Jiaotong University, Lanzhou, 730070, China
| | - Jin Xie
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Catalysis, Gansu Province, State Key Laboratory of Applied Organic Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730000, China
| | - Xiaomei Wang
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Catalysis, Gansu Province, State Key Laboratory of Applied Organic Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730000, China
| | - Hong Zhang
- Electron Microscopy Centre of Lanzhou University, School of Materials and Energy, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730000, China
| | - Shengqi Chen
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Catalysis, Gansu Province, State Key Laboratory of Applied Organic Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730000, China
| | - Hao Wang
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Catalysis, Gansu Province, State Key Laboratory of Applied Organic Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730000, China
| | - Zelong Li
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Catalysis, Gansu Province, State Key Laboratory of Applied Organic Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730000, China
| | - Can Li
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Catalysis, Gansu Province, State Key Laboratory of Applied Organic Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730000, China
- State Key Laboratory of Catalysis, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian National Laboratory for Clean Energy, Dalian, Liaoning, 116023, China
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8
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Luo W, Wu S, Jiang Y, Xu P, Zou J, Qian J, Zhou X, Ge Y, Nie H, Yang Z. Efficient Electrocatalytic Nitrate Reduction to Ammonia Based on DNA-Templated Copper Nanoclusters. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2023; 15:18928-18939. [PMID: 37014152 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.3c00511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
In alkaline solutions, the electrocatalytic conversion of nitrates to ammonia (NH3) (NO3RR) is hindered by the sluggish hydrogenation step due to the lack of protons on the electrode surface, making it a grand challenge to synthesize NH3 at a high rate and selectivity. Herein, single-stranded deoxyribonucleic acid (ssDNA)-templated copper nanoclusters (CuNCs) were synthesized for the electrocatalytic production of NH3. Because ssDNA was involved in the optimization of the interfacial water distribution and H-bond network connectivity, the water-electrolysis-induced proton generation was enhanced on the electrode surface, which facilitated the NO3RR kinetics. The activation energy (Ea) and in situ spectroscopy studies adequately demonstrated that the NO3RR was exothermic until NH3 desorption, indicating that, in alkaline media, the NO3RR catalyzed by ssDNA-templated CuNCs followed the same reaction path as the NO3RR in acidic media. Electrocatalytic tests further verified the efficiency of ssDNA-templated CuNCs, which achieved a high NH3 yield rate of 2.62 mg h-1 cm-2 and a Faraday efficiency of 96.8% at -0.6 V vs reversible hydrogen electrode. The results of this study lay the foundation for engineering catalyst surface ligands for the electrocatalytic NO3RR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenjie Luo
- Key Laboratory of Carbon Materials of Zhejiang Province, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou 325035, China
| | - Shilu Wu
- Key Laboratory of Carbon Materials of Zhejiang Province, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou 325035, China
| | - Yingyang Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Carbon Materials of Zhejiang Province, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou 325035, China
| | - Peng Xu
- Key Laboratory of Carbon Materials of Zhejiang Province, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou 325035, China
| | - Jinxuan Zou
- Key Laboratory of Carbon Materials of Zhejiang Province, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou 325035, China
| | - Jinjie Qian
- Key Laboratory of Carbon Materials of Zhejiang Province, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou 325035, China
| | - Xuemei Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Carbon Materials of Zhejiang Province, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou 325035, China
| | - Yongjie Ge
- Key Laboratory of Carbon Materials of Zhejiang Province, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou 325035, China
| | - Huagui Nie
- Key Laboratory of Carbon Materials of Zhejiang Province, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou 325035, China
| | - Zhi Yang
- Key Laboratory of Carbon Materials of Zhejiang Province, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou 325035, China
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9
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Cui Y, Dong A, Zhou Y, Qu Y, Zhao M, Wang Z, Jiang Q. Interfacially Engineered Nanoporous Cu/MnO x Hybrids for Highly Efficient Electrochemical Ammonia Synthesis via Nitrate Reduction. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2023; 19:e2207661. [PMID: 36720010 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202207661] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2023] [Revised: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Electrochemical reduction of nitrate to ammonia (NH3 ) not only offers a promising strategy for green NH3 synthesis, but also addresses the environmental issues and balances the perturbed nitrogen cycle. However, current electrocatalytic nitrate reduction processes are still inefficient due to the lack of effective electrocatalysts. Here 3D nanoporous Cu/MnOx hybrids are reported as efficient and durable electrocatalysts for nitrate reduction reaction, achieving the NH3 yield rates of 5.53 and 29.3 mg h-1 mgcat. -1 with 98.2% and 86.2% Faradic efficiency in 0.1 m Na2 SO4 solution with 10 and 100 mm KNO3 , respectively, which are higher than those obtained for most of the reported catalysts under similar conditions. Both the experimental results and density functional theory calculations reveal that the interface effect between Cu/MnOx interface could reduce the free energy of rate determining step and suppress the hydrogen evolution reaction, leading to the enhanced catalytic activity and selectivity. This work provides an approach to design advanced materials for NH3 production via electrochemical nitrate reduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuhuan Cui
- Key Laboratory of Automobile Materials, Ministry of Education, and School of Materials Science and Engineering, Jilin University, Changchun, 130022, China
| | - Anqi Dong
- Key Laboratory of Automobile Materials, Ministry of Education, and School of Materials Science and Engineering, Jilin University, Changchun, 130022, China
| | - Yitong Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Automobile Materials, Ministry of Education, and School of Materials Science and Engineering, Jilin University, Changchun, 130022, China
| | - Yanbin Qu
- Key Laboratory of Automobile Materials, Ministry of Education, and School of Materials Science and Engineering, Jilin University, Changchun, 130022, China
| | - Ming Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Automobile Materials, Ministry of Education, and School of Materials Science and Engineering, Jilin University, Changchun, 130022, China
| | - Zhili Wang
- Key Laboratory of Automobile Materials, Ministry of Education, and School of Materials Science and Engineering, Jilin University, Changchun, 130022, China
| | - Qing Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Automobile Materials, Ministry of Education, and School of Materials Science and Engineering, Jilin University, Changchun, 130022, China
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10
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Yuan S, Xue Y, Ma R, Ma Q, Chen Y, Fan J. Advances in iron-based electrocatalysts for nitrate reduction. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 866:161444. [PMID: 36621470 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.161444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2022] [Revised: 12/26/2022] [Accepted: 01/03/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Excessive nitrate has been a critical issue in the water environment, originating from the burning of fossil fuels, inefficient use of nitrogen fertilizers, and discharge of domestic and industrial wastewater. Among the effective treatments for nitrate reduction, electrocatalysis has become an advanced technique because it uses electrons as green reducing agents and can achieve high selectivity through cathode potential control. The effectiveness of electrocatalytic nitrate reduction (NO3RR) mainly lies in the electrocatalyst. Iron-based catalysts have the advantages of high activity and low cost, which are well-used in the field of electrocatalytic nitrates. A comprehensive overview of the electrocatalytic mechanism and the iron-based materials for NO3RR are given in terms of monometallic iron-based materials as well as bimetallic and oxide iron-based materials. A detailed introduction to NO3RR on zero valent iron, single-atom iron catalysts, and Cu/Fe-based bimetallic electrocatalysts are provided, as they are essential for the improvement of NO3RR performance. Finally, the advantages of iron-based materials for NO3RR and the problems in current applications are summarized, and the development prospects of efficient iron-based catalysts are proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiyin Yuan
- State key laboratory of pollution control and Resource reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, 1239 Siping Road, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Yinghao Xue
- State key laboratory of pollution control and Resource reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, 1239 Siping Road, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Raner Ma
- State key laboratory of pollution control and Resource reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, 1239 Siping Road, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Qian Ma
- State key laboratory of pollution control and Resource reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, 1239 Siping Road, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Yanyan Chen
- State key laboratory of pollution control and Resource reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, 1239 Siping Road, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Jianwei Fan
- State key laboratory of pollution control and Resource reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, 1239 Siping Road, Shanghai 200092, China.
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11
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He L, Zeng T, Yao F, Zhong Y, Tan C, Pi Z, Hou K, Chen S, Li X, Yang Q. Electrocatalytic reduction of nitrate by carbon encapsulated Cu-Fe electroactive nanocatalysts on Ni foam. J Colloid Interface Sci 2023; 634:440-449. [PMID: 36542973 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2022.12.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2022] [Revised: 11/28/2022] [Accepted: 12/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Electrocatalytic denitrification is an attractive and effective method for complete elimination of nitrate (NO3-). However, its application is limited by the activity and stability of the electrocatalyst. In this work, a novel bimetallic electrode was synthesized, in which N-doped graphitized carbon sealed with Cu and Fe nanoparticles and immobilized them on nickel foam (CuFe NPs@NC/NF) without any chemical binder. The immobilized Cu-Fe nanoparticles not only facilitated the adsorption of the reactant but also enhanced the electron transfer between the cathode and NO3-, thus promoting the electrochemical reduction of NO3-. Therefore, the as-prepared electrode exhibited enhanced electrocatalytic activity for NO3- reduction. The composite electrode with the Cu/Fe molar ratio of 1:2 achieved the highest NO3- removal (79.4 %) and the lowest energy consumption (0.0023 kW h mg-1). Furthermore, the composite electrode had a robust NO3- removal capacity under various conditions. Benefitting from the electrochlorination on the anode, this electrochemical system achieved nitrogen (N2) selectivity of 94.0 %. Moreover, CuFe NPs@NC/NF exhibited good stability after 15 cycles, which should be attributed to the graphitized carbon layer. This study confirmed that CuFe NPs@NC/NF electrode is a promising and inexpensive electrode with long-term stability for electrocatalytic denitrification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li He
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha, 410082, PR China; Key Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control (Hunan University), Ministry of Education, Changsha, 410082, PR China.
| | - Tianjing Zeng
- Hunan Ecological and Environmental Monitoring Center, Changsha, 410027, PR China
| | - Fubing Yao
- School of Metallurgy and Environment, Central South University, Changsha, 410083, PR China; Chinese National Engineering Research Center for Control and Treatment of Heavy Metal Pollution, Changsha, 410083, PR China.
| | - Yu Zhong
- Key Laboratory of Water Pollution Control Technology, Hunan Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Changsha, 410004, PR China
| | - Chang Tan
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha, 410082, PR China; Key Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control (Hunan University), Ministry of Education, Changsha, 410082, PR China
| | - Zhoujie Pi
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha, 410082, PR China; Key Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control (Hunan University), Ministry of Education, Changsha, 410082, PR China
| | - Kunjie Hou
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha, 410082, PR China; Key Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control (Hunan University), Ministry of Education, Changsha, 410082, PR China
| | - Shengjie Chen
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha, 410082, PR China; Key Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control (Hunan University), Ministry of Education, Changsha, 410082, PR China
| | - Xiaoming Li
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha, 410082, PR China; Key Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control (Hunan University), Ministry of Education, Changsha, 410082, PR China
| | - Qi Yang
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha, 410082, PR China; Key Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control (Hunan University), Ministry of Education, Changsha, 410082, PR China.
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12
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Xue Y, Yu Q, Ma Q, Chen Y, Zhang C, Teng W, Fan J, Zhang WX. Electrocatalytic Hydrogenation Boosts Reduction of Nitrate to Ammonia over Single-Atom Cu with Cu(I)-N 3C 1 Sites. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2022; 56:14797-14807. [PMID: 36175172 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c04456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
The conversion of nitrate to ammonia can serve two important functions: mitigating nitrate pollution and offering a low energy intensity pathway for ammonia synthesis. Conventional ammonia synthesis from electrocatalytic nitrate reduction reactions (NO3RR) is often impeded by incomplete nitrate conversion, sluggish kinetics, and the competition of hydrogen evolution reactions. Herein, atomic Cu sites anchored on micro-/mesoporous nitrogen-doped carbon (Cu MNC) with fine-tuned hydrophilicity, micro-/mesoporous channels, and abundant Cu(I) sites were synthesized for selective nitrate reduction to ammonia, achieving ambient temperature and pressure hydrogenation of nitrate. Laboratory experiments demonstrated that the catalyst has an ammonia yield rate per active site of 5466 mmol gCu-1 h-1 and transformed 94.8% nitrate in wastewater containing 100 mg-N L-1 to near drinking water standard (MCL of 5 mg-N L-1) at -0.64 V vs RHE. Extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) and theoretical calculations showed that the coordination environment of Cu(I) sites (Cu(I)-N3C1) localizes the charge around the central Cu atoms and adsorbs *NO3 and *H onto neighboring Cu and C sites with balanced adsorption energy. The Cu(I)-N3C1 moieties reduce the activation energy of rate-limiting steps (*HNO3 → *NO2, *NH2 → *NH3) compared with conventional Cu(II)-N4 and lead to a thermodynamically favorable process to NH3. The as-prepared electrocatalytic cell can run continuously for 84 h (14 cycles) and produce 21.7 mgNH3 with only 5.64 × 10-3 kWh energy consumption, suitable for decentralized nitrate removal and ammonia synthesis from nitrate-containing wastewater.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yinghao Xue
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, P. R. China
| | - Qihui Yu
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Materials Utilization of Nonmetallic Minerals and Solid Wastes, National Laboratory of Mineral Materials, School of Materials Sciences and Technology, China University of Geosciences, Beijing 100083, P. R. China
| | - Qian Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, P. R. China
| | - Yanyan Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, P. R. China
| | - Chuning Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, P. R. China
| | - Wei Teng
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, P. R. China
| | - Jianwei Fan
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, P. R. China
| | - Wei-Xian Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shanghai Institute of Pollution Control and Ecological Security, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, P. R. China
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13
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Zhao J, Shen Z, Yu J, Guo Y, Mushtaq MA, Ding Y, Song Z, Zhang W, Huang X, Li Y, Liu D, Cai X. Constructing Cu-CuO heterostructured skin on Cu cubes to promote electrocatalytic ammonia production from nitrate wastewater. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2022; 439:129653. [PMID: 35901633 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.129653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2022] [Revised: 07/02/2022] [Accepted: 07/19/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Electroreducting nitrate (NO3-) into ammonia (NH3), i.e. NO3-RA, can not only relieve NO3- pollution but also produce high value-added NH3. Cu-based species have been taken as a promising catalyst for NO3-RA because of their relatively high Faradaic efficiency (FE), benefiting from the weak side hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). However, their NH3 yield rates are still unsatisfactory due to the multiple electron paths of NO3-RA. Herein, we report a Cu cube with Cu-CuO heterostructured skin, prepared by electrochemically induced reconstruction from a Cu2O cube. This novel Cu-based catalyst presents a mol-level NH3 yield rate of 3.17 mol h-1 g-1 ranking at the top level among non-noble metal catalysts and an ultrahigh FE of 98.7 %. These excellent performances attribute to the Cu-CuO heterostructured skin of Cu cubes, which has favorable energy for the hydrogenation of *NO to *NOH during the NO3-RA process and an unfavorable one for HER. For the NO3- removal of real river water, this novel Cu-based catalyst presents a high NO3- removal rate of 95.5 % after the NO3-RA test for 12 h, resulting in a lower NO3- concentration than the maximum residual amount of NO3- in drinking water limited by WHO and China. This study provides a feasible strategy by the electrochemical reconstruction method to prepare superior Cu-based electrocatalysts with mol-level NO3-RA performances for the purification of nitrate wastewater.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Zhao
- College of Civil and Transportation Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China; Institute for Advanced Studies (IAS), Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
| | - Zhen Shen
- College of Civil and Transportation Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China; School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China.
| | - Jian Yu
- Research Institute of Aero-Engine, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Yue Guo
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | | | - Yangbin Ding
- Department of Materials Chemistry, Huzhou University, Huzhou 313000, China
| | - Zhaoqi Song
- Institute for Advanced Studies (IAS), Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
| | - Wei Zhang
- School of Ecology and Environment Science, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China.
| | - Xiang Huang
- Department of Physics, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Ying Li
- Institute for Advanced Studies (IAS), Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
| | - Dongqing Liu
- College of Mechatronics and Control Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060,China
| | - Xingke Cai
- College of Civil and Transportation Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China; Institute for Advanced Studies (IAS), Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China.
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14
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Teng M, Ye J, Wan C, He G, Chen H. Research Progress on Cu-Based Catalysts for Electrochemical Nitrate Reduction Reaction to Ammonia. Ind Eng Chem Res 2022. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.iecr.2c02495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Mengjuan Teng
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Catalytic Materials and Technology, Advanced Catalysis and Green Manufacturing Collaborative Innovation Center, Changzhou University, Changzhou 213164, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Jingrui Ye
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Catalytic Materials and Technology, Advanced Catalysis and Green Manufacturing Collaborative Innovation Center, Changzhou University, Changzhou 213164, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Chao Wan
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Catalytic Materials and Technology, Advanced Catalysis and Green Manufacturing Collaborative Innovation Center, Changzhou University, Changzhou 213164, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Guangyu He
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Catalytic Materials and Technology, Advanced Catalysis and Green Manufacturing Collaborative Innovation Center, Changzhou University, Changzhou 213164, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Haiqun Chen
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Catalytic Materials and Technology, Advanced Catalysis and Green Manufacturing Collaborative Innovation Center, Changzhou University, Changzhou 213164, Jiangsu Province, China
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15
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Wang J, Zhang L, Wang Y, Niu Y, Fang D, Su Q, Wang C. Facet and d-band center engineering of CuNi nanocrystals for efficient nitrate electroreduction to ammonia. Dalton Trans 2022; 51:15111-15120. [PMID: 36125094 DOI: 10.1039/d2dt02256g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Electrocatalytic nitrate reduction offers a sustainable route to ammonia synthesis and wastewater treatment. However, the nitrate-to-ammonia conversion remains inefficient due to the sluggish kinetics and diverse side reactions. Herein, well-faceted CuNi nanocrystals with Ni-rich surfaces and favorable d-band centres were synthesized with the assistance of γ-cyclodextrin via a solvothermal process. When used as catalysts for nitrate electroreduction, they delivered an ammonia yield of 1.374 mmol h-1 mg-1 (0.5496 mmol h-1 cm-2) at -0.3 V with the faradaic efficiency and selectivity reaching 94.5% and 65.0%, respectively, surpassing pure Cu or Ni nanocrystals and most reported catalysts. Such excellent performances originated from the optimal geometric and electronic structures and special element distribution, which optimized the adsorption behaviors and accelerated the reaction kinetics. A NO3--NO2--NH3 pathway was proposed with the chemical process following the initial electron transfer process as the rate-determining step. This work sheds light on the design of efficient catalysts to achieve carbon neutrality through simultaneous geometric and electronic structure modulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiao Wang
- Institute for New Energy Materials and Low-Carbon Technologies, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Advanced Functional Porous Materials, Tianjin University of Technology, Tianjin 300384, People's Republic of China.
| | - Linlin Zhang
- Institute for New Energy Materials and Low-Carbon Technologies, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Advanced Functional Porous Materials, Tianjin University of Technology, Tianjin 300384, People's Republic of China. .,CAS Key Laboratory of Design and Assembly of Functional Nanostructures, Fujian Key Laboratory of Nanomaterials, Fujian Institute of Research on the Structure of Matter, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Fuzhou 350002, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuanyuan Wang
- Institute for New Energy Materials and Low-Carbon Technologies, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Advanced Functional Porous Materials, Tianjin University of Technology, Tianjin 300384, People's Republic of China.
| | - Yongjian Niu
- Institute for New Energy Materials and Low-Carbon Technologies, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Advanced Functional Porous Materials, Tianjin University of Technology, Tianjin 300384, People's Republic of China.
| | - Dong Fang
- Institute for New Energy Materials and Low-Carbon Technologies, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Advanced Functional Porous Materials, Tianjin University of Technology, Tianjin 300384, People's Republic of China.
| | - Qingxiao Su
- Institute for New Energy Materials and Low-Carbon Technologies, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Advanced Functional Porous Materials, Tianjin University of Technology, Tianjin 300384, People's Republic of China.
| | - Cheng Wang
- Institute for New Energy Materials and Low-Carbon Technologies, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Advanced Functional Porous Materials, Tianjin University of Technology, Tianjin 300384, People's Republic of China.
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16
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Li C, Liu S, Xu Y, Ren T, Guo Y, Wang Z, Li X, Wang L, Wang H. Controllable reconstruction of copper nanowires into nanotubes for efficient electrocatalytic nitrate conversion into ammonia. NANOSCALE 2022; 14:12332-12338. [PMID: 35969200 DOI: 10.1039/d2nr03767j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The electrochemical reduction of nitrate to ammonia provides a green and delocalized route for ammonia synthesis under ambient conditions, which requires advanced catalysts with high activity and selectivity. In this work, we propose a two-step conversion strategy to construct hierarchical copper nanosheet-based Cu nanotubes using pre-synthesized Cu nanowires as the starting material for the electrocatalytic nitrate reduction reaction (NO3RR). The conversion of Cu nanowires into Cu nanotubes could be realized through chemical oxidation followed by in situ electrochemical reduction, enabling the effective engineering of active sites and thus boosting the electrocatalytic nitrate-to-ammonia capability. Such a controllable reconstruction strategy provides a new avenue for constructing high-performance electrocatalysts for sustainable NH3 synthesis and the elimination of NO3- contamination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunjie Li
- State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Green-Chemical Synthesis Technology, College of Chemical Engineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310014, P. R. China.
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou 215011, China
| | - Songliang Liu
- State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Green-Chemical Synthesis Technology, College of Chemical Engineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310014, P. R. China.
| | - You Xu
- State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Green-Chemical Synthesis Technology, College of Chemical Engineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310014, P. R. China.
| | - Tianlun Ren
- State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Green-Chemical Synthesis Technology, College of Chemical Engineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310014, P. R. China.
| | - Yanan Guo
- State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Green-Chemical Synthesis Technology, College of Chemical Engineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310014, P. R. China.
| | - Ziqiang Wang
- State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Green-Chemical Synthesis Technology, College of Chemical Engineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310014, P. R. China.
| | - Xiaonian Li
- State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Green-Chemical Synthesis Technology, College of Chemical Engineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310014, P. R. China.
| | - Liang Wang
- State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Green-Chemical Synthesis Technology, College of Chemical Engineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310014, P. R. China.
| | - Hongjing Wang
- State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Green-Chemical Synthesis Technology, College of Chemical Engineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310014, P. R. China.
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17
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Yang WJ, Yang LH, Peng HJ, Lv SH, Muhammad Adeel Sharif H, Sun W, Li W, Yang C, Lin H. Perovskite oxide LaMO3-δ (M = Fe, Co, Ni and Cu) cathode for efficient electroreduction of nitrate. Sep Purif Technol 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.seppur.2022.121278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
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18
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Construction of abundant Co3O4/Co(OH)2 heterointerfaces as air electrocatalyst for flexible all-solid-state zinc-air batteries. Electrochim Acta 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.electacta.2022.140158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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19
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Chloride-Derived Bimetallic Cu-Fe Nanoparticles for High-Selective Nitrate-to-Ammonia Electrochemical Catalysis. Processes (Basel) 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/pr10040751] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Cu-based bimetallic materials have been widely reported as efficient catalysts for electrocatalytic nitrate reduction. However, the faradaic efficiency and selectivity are still far from satisfactory. Herein, Cu-Fe bimetallic nanoalloys with adjustable Cu/Fe ratios are successfully prepared through a reactive mechanical milling approach with CuCl2, FeCl3 and Na as the starting materials. The optimized Cu3Fe exhibits excellent nitrate conversion efficiency of 81.1% and 70.3% ammonia selectivity at −0.7 V vs. RHE within 6 h under 0.1 M Na2SO4 and 100 ppm NO3−. The Fe-introduction-induced upshift of the d-band center is identified to be beneficial for promoting nitrate adsorption on Cu3Fe. Moreover, favorable H generation under the assistance of Fe could effectively accelerate the stepwise hydrogenation during electrocatalytic nitrate reduction, resulting in significantly improved NH4+ selectivity. This work supplies valuable insights for the rational design of transition-metal-based bimetallic catalysts for electrocatalytic nitrate reduction.
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20
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Interface Engineering Cerium-doped Copper Nanocrystal for Efficient Electrochemical Nitrate-to-Ammonia Production. Electrochim Acta 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.electacta.2022.140095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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21
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Zou X, Chen C, Wang C, Zhang Q, Yu Z, Wu H, Zhuo C, Zhang TC. Combining electrochemical nitrate reduction and anammox for treatment of nitrate-rich wastewater: A short review. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 800:149645. [PMID: 34399327 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.149645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2021] [Revised: 07/14/2021] [Accepted: 08/09/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Treatment of nitrate-rich wastewater is important but challenging for the conventional biological denitrification process. Here, we propose combining the electrochemical reduction and anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) processes together for treatment of nitrate-rich wastewater. This article reviews the mechanism and current research status of electrochemical reduction of nitrate to ammonium as well as the mechanism and applicability of the anammox process. This article discusses the principles, superiorities and challenges of this combined process. The feasibility of the combined process depends on the efficiency of electrochemical nitrate reduction to ammonium and the conditions in the anammox process to use the reduced ammonium as the substrate to achieve deep nitrogen removal. The article provides a feasible strategy for using the electrochemical reduction and anammox combined process to treat nitrate-rich wastewater.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyi Zou
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou 215009, PR China
| | - Chongjun Chen
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou 215009, PR China; Tianping College of Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou 215009, PR China; Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Technology and Material of Water Treatment, Suzhou 215009, PR China.
| | - Changhong Wang
- Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Technology and Material of Water Treatment, Suzhou 215009, PR China; School of Materials Science and Engineering, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou 215011, PR China
| | - Qun Zhang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou 215009, PR China
| | - Zhuowei Yu
- Ecolord (Suzhou) Environment Protect Technology Co., Ltd, Suzhou 215011, PR China
| | - Haiping Wu
- Ecolord (Suzhou) Environment Protect Technology Co., Ltd, Suzhou 215011, PR China
| | - Chao Zhuo
- Ecolord (Suzhou) Environment Protect Technology Co., Ltd, Suzhou 215011, PR China
| | - Tian C Zhang
- Civil & Environmental Engineering Dept., University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Omaha, NE 68182-0178, USA
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22
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Wang C, Liu Z, Li C, Guo C. Progress on electrocatalytic reduction of nitrate on copper-based catalysts. CHINESE SCIENCE BULLETIN-CHINESE 2021. [DOI: 10.1360/tb-2021-0333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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23
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Hu T, Wang C, Wang M, Li CM, Guo C. Theoretical Insights into Superior Nitrate Reduction to Ammonia Performance of Copper Catalysts. ACS Catal 2021. [DOI: 10.1021/acscatal.1c03666] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Tao Hu
- Institute of Materials Science and Devices, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou 215009, China
| | - Changhong Wang
- Institute of Materials Science and Devices, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou 215009, China
| | - Mengting Wang
- Institute of Materials Science and Devices, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou 215009, China
| | - Chang Ming Li
- Institute of Materials Science and Devices, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou 215009, China
- Institute for Cross-Field Science and College of Life Science, Qingdao University, Qingdao 200671, China
| | - Chunxian Guo
- Institute of Materials Science and Devices, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou 215009, China
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24
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Sun WJ, Ji HQ, Li LX, Zhang HY, Wang ZK, He JH, Lu JM. Built-in Electric Field Triggered Interfacial Accumulation Effect for Efficient Nitrate Removal at Ultra-Low Concentration and Electroreduction to Ammonia. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2021; 60:22933-22939. [PMID: 34431192 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202109785] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2021] [Revised: 08/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
A built-in electric field in electrocatalyst can significantly accumulate higher concentration of NO3 - ions near electrocatalyst surface region, thus facilitating mass transfer for efficient nitrate removal at ultra-low concentration and electroreduction reaction (NO3 RR). A model electrocatalyst is created by stacking CuCl (111) and rutile TiO2 (110) layers together, in which a built-in electric field induced from the electron transfer from TiO2 to CuCl (CuCl_BEF) is successfully formed . This built-in electric field effectively triggers interfacial accumulation of NO3 - ions around the electrocatalyst. The electric field also raises the energy of key reaction intermediate *NO to lower the energy barrier of the rate determining step. A NH3 product selectivity of 98.6 %, a low NO2 - production of <0.6 %, and mass-specific ammonia production rate of 64.4 h-1 is achieved, which are all the best among studies reported at 100 mg L-1 of nitrate concentration to date.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wu-Ji Sun
- College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Collaborative Innovation Center of Suzhou Nano Science and Technology, National United Engineering Laboratory of, Functionalized Environmental Adsorption Materials, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, P. R. China
| | - Hao-Qing Ji
- College of energy, Key Laboratory of Advanced Carbon Materials and Wearable Energy Technologies of Jiangsu Province, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215006, China
| | - Lan-Xin Li
- College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Collaborative Innovation Center of Suzhou Nano Science and Technology, National United Engineering Laboratory of, Functionalized Environmental Adsorption Materials, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, P. R. China
| | - Hao-Yu Zhang
- College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Collaborative Innovation Center of Suzhou Nano Science and Technology, National United Engineering Laboratory of, Functionalized Environmental Adsorption Materials, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, P. R. China
| | - Zhen-Kang Wang
- College of energy, Key Laboratory of Advanced Carbon Materials and Wearable Energy Technologies of Jiangsu Province, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215006, China
| | - Jing-Hui He
- College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Collaborative Innovation Center of Suzhou Nano Science and Technology, National United Engineering Laboratory of, Functionalized Environmental Adsorption Materials, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, P. R. China
| | - Jian-Mei Lu
- College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Collaborative Innovation Center of Suzhou Nano Science and Technology, National United Engineering Laboratory of, Functionalized Environmental Adsorption Materials, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, P. R. China
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25
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Sun W, Ji H, Li L, Zhang H, Wang Z, He J, Lu J. Built‐in Electric Field Triggered Interfacial Accumulation Effect for Efficient Nitrate Removal at Ultra‐Low Concentration and Electroreduction to Ammonia. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.202109785] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Wu‐Ji Sun
- College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science Collaborative Innovation Center of Suzhou Nano Science and Technology National United Engineering Laboratory of, Functionalized Environmental Adsorption Materials Soochow University Suzhou 215123 P. R. China
| | - Hao‐Qing Ji
- College of energy Key Laboratory of Advanced Carbon Materials and Wearable Energy Technologies of Jiangsu Province Soochow University Suzhou 215006 China
| | - Lan‐Xin Li
- College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science Collaborative Innovation Center of Suzhou Nano Science and Technology National United Engineering Laboratory of, Functionalized Environmental Adsorption Materials Soochow University Suzhou 215123 P. R. China
| | - Hao‐Yu Zhang
- College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science Collaborative Innovation Center of Suzhou Nano Science and Technology National United Engineering Laboratory of, Functionalized Environmental Adsorption Materials Soochow University Suzhou 215123 P. R. China
| | - Zhen‐Kang Wang
- College of energy Key Laboratory of Advanced Carbon Materials and Wearable Energy Technologies of Jiangsu Province Soochow University Suzhou 215006 China
| | - Jing‐Hui He
- College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science Collaborative Innovation Center of Suzhou Nano Science and Technology National United Engineering Laboratory of, Functionalized Environmental Adsorption Materials Soochow University Suzhou 215123 P. R. China
| | - Jian‐Mei Lu
- College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science Collaborative Innovation Center of Suzhou Nano Science and Technology National United Engineering Laboratory of, Functionalized Environmental Adsorption Materials Soochow University Suzhou 215123 P. R. China
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26
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Liu Z, Wang C, Chen C, Li C, Guo C. Selective electroreduction of nitrate to ammonia with high Faradaic efficiency on nanocrystalline silver. Electrochem commun 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.elecom.2021.107121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
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27
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Lu X, Song H, Cai J, Lu S. Recent development of electrochemical nitrate reduction to ammonia: A mini review. Electrochem commun 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.elecom.2021.107094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
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