1
|
Ma Q, Xue Y, Zhang C, Chen Y, Teng W, Zhang H, Fan J. 2D copper-iron bimetallic metal-organic frameworks for reduction of nitrate with boosted efficiency and ammonia selectivity. J Environ Sci (China) 2025; 149:374-385. [PMID: 39181650 DOI: 10.1016/j.jes.2024.01.046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2023] [Revised: 01/13/2024] [Accepted: 01/27/2024] [Indexed: 08/27/2024]
Abstract
Electrocatalytic reduction of nitrate to ammonia has been considered a promising and sustainable pathway for pollutant treatment and ammonia has significant potential as a clean energy. Therefore, the method has received much attention. In this work, Cu/Fe 2D bimetallic metal-organic frameworks were synthesized by a facile method applied as cathode materials without high-temperature carbonization. Bimetallic centers (Cu, Fe) with enhanced intrinsic activity demonstrated higher removal efficiency. Meanwhile, the 2D nanosheet reduced the mass transfer barrier between the catalyst and nitrate and increased the reaction kinetics. Therefore, the catalysts with a 2D structure showed much better removal efficiency than other structures (3D MOFs and Bulk MOFs). Under optimal conditions, Cu/Fe-2D MOF exhibited high nitrate removal efficiency (87.8%) and ammonium selectivity (89.3%) simultaneously. The ammonium yielded up to significantly 907.2 µg/(hr·mgcat) (7793.8 µg/(hr·mgmetal)) with Faradaic efficiency of 62.8% at an initial 100 mg N/L. The catalyst was proved to have good stability and was recycled 15 times with excellent effect. DFT simulations confirm the reduced Gibbs free energy of Cu/Fe-2D MOF. This study demonstrates the promising application of Cu/Fe-2D MOF in nitrate reduction to ammonia and provides new insights for the design of efficient electrode materials.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Qian Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Yinghao Xue
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Chuning Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Yanyan Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Wei Teng
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Hua Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China.
| | - Jianwei Fan
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Hu J, Tang C, Bi Z, Zhou S, Kong Q, Gao S, Liu X, Zhao X, Hu G. Self-supported iron-doped cobalt-copper oxide heterostructures for efficient electrocatalytic denitrification. J Colloid Interface Sci 2024; 675:313-325. [PMID: 38972119 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2024.06.206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2024] [Revised: 06/22/2024] [Accepted: 06/26/2024] [Indexed: 07/09/2024]
Abstract
The electrocatalytic reduction of nitrate ions (NO3-) to nitrogen gas (N2) has emerged as an effective approach for mitigating nitrate pollution in water bodies. However, the development of efficient and highly selective cathode materials remains challenging. Conventional copper-based catalysts often exhibit low selectivity because they strongly adsorb oxygen. In this study, a straightforward solvothermal and pyrolysis method was used to grow iron-doped cobalt-copper oxide heterogeneous structures on copper foam surfaces (Fe-CoO/CuO@CF). Then, the effects of the applied potential, initial NO3- concentration, Cl- concentration, electrolyte pH, and different catalysts on the catalyst performance were investigated. Compared with recently reported congeners, Fe-CoO/CuO@CF is less expensive and exhibits outstanding activity for NO3- reduction. Meanwhile, under a cathode potential of - 1.31 V vs. Ag/AgCl, Fe-CoO/CuO@CF degrades 98.6 % of NO3- in 200 min. In addition, when employing a method inspired by NH4+ removal by breakpoint chlorination, N2 selectivity over Fe-CoO/CuO@CF was raised from 10 % without Cl- to 99.7 % when supplemented with Cl-. The catalyst demonstrated excellent cyclic stability, maintaining a high electrocatalytic activity for the conversion of NO3- to N2 gas over eleven cycles. Moreover, Fe-CoO/CuO@CF enabled 63.7 % removal of NO3- from wastewater (50 mg/L NO3--N) prepared from natural water, with 100 % conversion to N2. Computational studies showed that iron doping decreased the free energy change of the intermediate of NO3- reduction reaction. This study provides an effective strategy for the electrochemical reduction of nitrate to nitrogen gas and offers good prospects for addressing nitrate pollution.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jiao Hu
- Institute for Ecological Research and Pollution Control of Plateau Lakes, School of Ecology and Environmental Science, Yunnan University, Kunming 650504, China
| | - Cui Tang
- Institute for Ecological Research and Pollution Control of Plateau Lakes, School of Ecology and Environmental Science, Yunnan University, Kunming 650504, China
| | - Zenghui Bi
- Institute for Ecological Research and Pollution Control of Plateau Lakes, School of Ecology and Environmental Science, Yunnan University, Kunming 650504, China
| | - Shuxing Zhou
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Low Dimensional Optoelectronic Materials and Devices, Hubei University of Arts and Science, Xiangyang 441053, China.
| | - Qingquan Kong
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Chengdu University, Chengdu 610106, China
| | - Sanshuang Gao
- MOE Key Laboratory of New Processing Technology for Non-ferrous Metals and Materials, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Processing for Non-ferrous Metals and Featured Materials, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China
| | - Xijun Liu
- MOE Key Laboratory of New Processing Technology for Non-ferrous Metals and Materials, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Processing for Non-ferrous Metals and Featured Materials, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China
| | - Xue Zhao
- Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Yunnan Normal University, Kunming 650500, China.
| | - Guangzhi Hu
- Institute for Ecological Research and Pollution Control of Plateau Lakes, School of Ecology and Environmental Science, Yunnan University, Kunming 650504, China.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Li D, Zhang XY, Xie JF, Chen JJ, Zhao QB, Liu L, Wang WK, Li WW, Yu HQ. Ultrathin cobalt-based nanosheets containing surface oxygen promoted near-complete nitrate removal. J Colloid Interface Sci 2024; 672:383-391. [PMID: 38848622 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2024.06.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2024] [Revised: 05/28/2024] [Accepted: 06/03/2024] [Indexed: 06/09/2024]
Abstract
Electrocatalytic nitrate removal offers a sustainable approach to alleviate nitrate pollution and to boost the anthropogenic nitrogen cycle, but it still suffers from limited removal efficiency at high rates, especially at low levels of nitrate. Herein, we report the near-complete removal of low-level nitrate (10-200 ppm) within 2 h using ultrathin cobalt-based nanosheets (CoNS) containing surface oxygen, which was fabricated from in-situ electrochemical reconstruction of conventional nanosheets. The average nitrate removal of 99.7 % with ammonia selectivity of 98.2 % in 9 cyclic runs ranked in the best of reported catalysts. Powered by a solar cell under the winter sun, the full-cell nitrate electrolysis system, equipped with ultrathin CoNS, achieved 100 % nitrogen gas selectivity and 99.6 % total nitrogen removal. The in-situ Fourier Transform Infrared included experiments and theoretical computations revealed that in-situ electrochemical reconstruction not only increased electrochemical active surface area but also constructed surface oxygen in active sites, leading to enhanced stabilization of nitrate adsorption in a symmetry breaking configuration and charge transfer, contributing to near-complete nitrate removal on ultrathin CoNS. This work provides a strategy to design ultrathin nanocatalysts for nitrate removal.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ding Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Xin-Yu Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Department of Environmental Science and Technology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
| | - Jia-Fang Xie
- CAS Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; Research Center of Urban Carbon Neutrality, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China.
| | - Jie-Jie Chen
- CAS Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Department of Environmental Science and Technology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
| | - Quan-Bao Zhao
- CAS Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Lin Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Wei-Kang Wang
- Shanghai Key Lab for Urban Ecological Processes and Eco-Restoration, Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Biotransformation of Organic Solid Waste, School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China
| | - Wen-Wei Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Department of Environmental Science and Technology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
| | - Han-Qing Yu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China; CAS Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Department of Environmental Science and Technology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Li D, Jiang SC, Xie JF, Zhang J, Zheng YL, Zhao QB, Yu HQ. Boosting seawater denitrification in an electrochemical flow cell. WATER RESEARCH 2024; 266:122384. [PMID: 39243459 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2024.122384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2024] [Revised: 08/19/2024] [Accepted: 09/02/2024] [Indexed: 09/09/2024]
Abstract
Nitrogen compounds in current seawater treatment processes typically are converted to nitrate, threatening seawater quality and marine ecology. Electrochemical denitrification is a promising technique, but its efficiency is severely limited by the presence of excess chloride ions. In this work, a flow-through cell went through an on-demand chlorine-mediated electrochemical-chemical tandem reaction process was designed for efficient seawater denitrification. Equipped with ultrathin cobalt-based nanosheets as the cathode catalyst and commercial IrO2-RuO2/Ti as the anode, the newly designed flow-through cell achieved nitrate removal efficiency that was about 50 times greater than the batch cell and nearly 100 % N2 selectivity. Moreover, nitrite and ammonia can also be removed with over 93 % efficiency in total nitrogen (TN) removal. Furthermore, the concentration of active chlorine in the effluent could be adjusted within two orders of magnitude, enabling on-demand release of active chlorine. Finally, this flow-through cell reduced the TN of actual mariculture tailwater (40.1 mg N L-1 nitrate) to only 5.7 mg N L-1, meeting the discharge standard for aquaculture tailwater of Fujian, China. This work demonstrates the paradigm of deep denitrification from ultra-concentrated chlorine ion wastewater using an on-demand active chlorine-mediated electrochemical-chemical tandem reaction process.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ding Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | | | - Jia-Fang Xie
- CAS Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
| | - Jian Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Ying-Lian Zheng
- CAS Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Quan-Bao Zhao
- CAS Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Han-Qing Yu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; CAS Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Wei J, Li Y, Lin H, Lu X, Zhou C, Li YY. Copper-based electro-catalytic nitrate reduction to ammonia from water: Mechanism, preparation, and research directions. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND ECOTECHNOLOGY 2024; 20:100383. [PMID: 38304117 PMCID: PMC10830547 DOI: 10.1016/j.ese.2023.100383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2023] [Revised: 12/21/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 02/03/2024]
Abstract
Global water bodies are increasingly imperiled by nitrate pollution, primarily originating from industrial waste, agricultural runoffs, and urban sewage. This escalating environmental crisis challenges traditional water treatment paradigms and necessitates innovative solutions. Electro-catalysis, especially utilizing copper-based catalysts, known for their efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and eco-friendliness, offer a promising avenue for the electro-catalytic reduction of nitrate to ammonia. In this review, we systematically consolidate current research on diverse copper-based catalysts, including pure Cu, Cu alloys, oxides, single-atom entities, and composites. Furthermore, we assess their catalytic performance, operational mechanisms, and future research directions to find effective, long-term solutions to water purification and ammonia synthesis. Electro-catalysis technology shows the potential in mitigating nitrate pollution and has strategic importance in sustainable environmental management. As to the application, challenges regarding complexity of the real water, the scale-up of the commerical catalysts, and the efficient collection of produced NH3 are still exist. Following reseraches of catalyst specially on long term stability and in situ mechanisms are proposed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Chucheng Zhou
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Special Functional Materials & Shenzhen Engineering Laboratory for Advance Technology of Ceramics, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, PR China
| | - Ya-yun Li
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Special Functional Materials & Shenzhen Engineering Laboratory for Advance Technology of Ceramics, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, PR China
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Wang Y, Ji Z, Pei Y. Highly selective electrochemical reduction of nitrate via CoO/Ir-nickel foam cathode to treat wastewater with a low C/N ratio. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 463:132813. [PMID: 37918076 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.132813] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Revised: 10/02/2023] [Accepted: 10/18/2023] [Indexed: 11/04/2023]
Abstract
Thorough nitrate removal from reclaimed water by biological techniques without carbon sources is difficult. Flexible, controllable electrochemical nitrate reduction is widely researched. Herein, ultrathin CoO nanosheets were constructed through amino group induction and orientation. The interfacial electron transfer resistance of two-dimensional CoO was 43.4% lower than that of one-dimensional nanoparticles, resulting in higher current density and improved nitrate reduction efficiency. Nickel foam and IrO2-nickel foam electrodes have almost no effect on nitrate reduction. It is worth noting that iridium loading on CoO (nanosheet) regulated the electronic band structure and generated active atomic H* . The nitrate removal rate increased from 45.1% (CoO (nanoparticle)-nickle foam) and 63.8% (CoO (nanosheet)-nickle foam) to 94.64% (CoO/Ir10 wt%-nickle foam). The proton enhancement effect improved indirect nitrate reduction by atomic H* and increased the NO3--N removal rate to 99.8%. Active chlorine species generated by Cl- in the wastewater selectively converted more than 99% of nitrate to N2, exceeding previous Co-based cathode results. In situ DEMS indicated that electrochemical reduction of nitrate included deoxidation (NO3-→*NO2-→*NO→*N/*N2O→N2) and hydrogenation (*NH2→*NH3→NH4+). The NO3--N removal rate of CoO/Ir10 wt% exceeded 65% during treatment of wastewater treatment plant effluents, verifying the feasibility of electrochemical nitrate reduction with the CoO/Ir10 wt% cathode. A strategy for designing electrochemical nitrate reduction electrocatalysts with excellent potential for full-scale application to treat wastewater treatment plant effluent is provided.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Youke Wang
- The Key Laboratory of Water and Sediment Sciences, Ministry of Education, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, No. 19, Xinjiekouwai Street, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Zehua Ji
- Center for Water and Ecology, State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Yuansheng Pei
- The Key Laboratory of Water and Sediment Sciences, Ministry of Education, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, No. 19, Xinjiekouwai Street, Beijing 100875, China.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Chen Y, He J, Pang H, Yu D, Jiang P, Hao X, Zhang J. Electrochemical denitrification by a recyclable cobalt oxide cathode: Rapid recovery and selective catalysis. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 463:132870. [PMID: 37924706 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.132870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2023] [Revised: 10/16/2023] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 11/06/2023]
Abstract
Cathodic aging and fouling have presented significant challenges in the realm of electrochemical denitrification for engineering applications. This study focused on the development of an economical and recyclable nanoporous Co3O4/Co cathode through anodization for nitrate reduction. What distinguished our cathode was its exceptional sustainability. Cobalt from the inactive catalyst could be reclaimed onto the substrate, enabling the regeneration of a new Co3O4 layer. This innovative approach resulted in an exceptionally low Co catalyst consumption, a mere 1.936 g/1 kg N, making it the most cost-effective choice among all Co-based cathodes. The Co3O4 catalyst exhibited a truncated octahedron structure, primarily composed of surface Co2+ ions. Density functional theory calculations confirmed that the bonding between the O atom in NO3- ions and the Co atom in Co3O4 was thermodynamically favorable, with a free energy of - 0.89 eV. Co2+ ions acted as "electron porters" facilitating electron transfer through a redox circle Co2+-Co3+-Co2+. However, the presence of two energy barriers (*NH2NO to *N2 and *N2 to N2) with respective heights of 0.83 eV and 1.17 eV resulted in a N2 selectivity of 9.84% and an NH3 selectivity of 90.02%. In actual wastewater treatment, approximately 78% of TN and 93% of NO3- were successfully removed after 3 h, consistent with the prediction kinetic model. This anodization-based strategy offers a significant advantage in terms of long-term cost and presents a new paradigm for electrode sustainability.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yiwen Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment (SKLUWRE), School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, PR China.
| | - Junguo He
- School of Civil Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, PR China
| | - Heliang Pang
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment (SKLUWRE), School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, PR China
| | - Dehai Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment (SKLUWRE), School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, PR China
| | - Peigeng Jiang
- North China Municipal Engineering Design & Research Institute Co., Ltd, Tianjin 300202, China Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, PR China
| | - Xiujuan Hao
- School of Civil Engineering, Inner Mongolia University of Technology, Hohhot 010051, PR China
| | - Jie Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment (SKLUWRE), School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, PR China
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Efficient CO2 reduction to formate using a Cu-doped BiVO4 electrocathode in a WO3 photoanode-assisted photoelectrocatalytic system. J Electroanal Chem (Lausanne) 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jelechem.2023.117146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
|