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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.
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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
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2
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Ba J, Dong H, Odziomek M, Lai F, Wang R, Han Y, Shu J, Antonietti M, Liu T, Yang W, Tian Z. Red Carbon Mediated Formation of Cu 2O Clusters Dispersed on the Oxocarbon Framework by Fehling's Route and their Use for the Nitrate Electroreduction in Acidic Conditions. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2024; 36:e2400396. [PMID: 38528795 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202400396] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2024] [Revised: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/27/2024]
Abstract
The oligomers of carbon suboxide, known as red carbon, exhibit a highly conjugated structure and semiconducting properties. Upon mild heat treatment, it transforms into a carbonaceous framework rich in oxygen surface terminations, called oxocarbon. In this study, the abundant oxygen functionalities are harnessed as anchors to create oxocarbon-supported nanohybrid electrocatalysts. Starting with single atomic Cu (II) strongly coordinated to oxygen atoms on red carbon, the Fehling reaction leads to the formation of Cu2O clusters. Simultaneously, a covalent oxocarbon framework emerges via cross-linking, providing robust support for Cu2O clusters. Notably, the oxocarbon support effectively stabilizes Cu2O clusters of very small size, ensuring their high durability in acidic conditions and the presence of ammonia. The synthesized material exhibits a superior electrocatalytic activity for nitrate reduction under acidic electrolyte conditions, with a high yield rate of ammonium (NH4 +) at 3.31 mmol h-1 mgcat -1 and a Faradaic efficiency of 92.5% at a potential of -0.4 V (vs RHE).
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingwen Ba
- Engineering Research Center for Nanomaterials, Henan University, Kaifeng, 475004, P. R. China
| | - Hongliang Dong
- Center for High Pressure Science and Technology Advanced Research, Shanghai, 201203, P. R. China
| | - Mateusz Odziomek
- Department of Colloid Chemistry, Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Am Mühlenberg 1, 14476, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Feili Lai
- Department of Chemistry, KU Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200F, Leuven, 3001, Belgium
| | - Rui Wang
- Engineering Research Center for Nanomaterials, Henan University, Kaifeng, 475004, P. R. China
| | - Yandong Han
- Engineering Research Center for Nanomaterials, Henan University, Kaifeng, 475004, P. R. China
| | - Jinfu Shu
- Center for High Pressure Science and Technology Advanced Research, Shanghai, 201203, P. R. China
| | - Markus Antonietti
- Department of Colloid Chemistry, Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Am Mühlenberg 1, 14476, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Tianxi Liu
- Key Laboratory of Synthetic and Biological Colloids, Ministry of Education, School of Chemical and Material Engineering, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, P. R. China
| | - Wensheng Yang
- Engineering Research Center for Nanomaterials, Henan University, Kaifeng, 475004, P. R. China
| | - Zhihong Tian
- Engineering Research Center for Nanomaterials, Henan University, Kaifeng, 475004, P. R. China
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3
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Wang G, Wang C, Tian X, Li Q, Liu S, Zhao X, Waterhouse GIN, Zhao X, Lv X, Xu J. Facile Construction of CuFe-Based Metal Phosphides for Synergistic NO x -Reduction to NH 3 and Zn-Nitrite Batteries in Electrochemical Cell. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2024; 20:e2311439. [PMID: 38161250 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202311439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
The electrocatalytic nitrite/nitrate reduction reaction (eNO2RR/eNO3RR) offer a promising route for green ammonia production. The development of low cost, highly selective and long-lasting electrocatalysts for eNO2RR/eNO3RR is challenging. Herein, a method is presented for constructing Cu3P-Fe2P heterostructures on iron foam (CuFe-P/IF) that facilitates the effective conversion of NO2 - and NO3 - to NH3. At -0.1 and -0.2 V versus RHE (reversible hydrogen electrode), CuFe-P/IF achieves a Faradaic efficiency (FE) for NH3 production of 98.36% for eNO2RR and 72% for eNO3RR, while also demonstrating considerable stability across numerous cycles. The superior performance of CuFe-P/IF catalyst is due tothe rich Cu3P-Fe2P heterstuctures. Density functional theory calculations have shed light on the distinct roles that Cu3P and Fe2P play at different stages of the eNO2RR/eNO3RR processes. Fe2P is notably active in the early stages, engaging in the capture of NO2 -/NO3 -, O─H formation, and N─OH scission. Conversely, Cu3P becomes more dominant in the subsequent steps, which involve the formation of N─H bonds, elimination of OH* species, and desorption of the final products. Finally, a primary Zn-NO2 - battery is assembled using CuFe-P/IF as the cathode catalyst, which exhibits a power density of 4.34 mW cm-2 and an impressive NH3 FE of 96.59%.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guoqiang Wang
- College of Chemistry and Material Science, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai'an, Shandong, 271018, China
| | - Chuanjun Wang
- College of Chemistry and Material Science, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai'an, Shandong, 271018, China
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Film Application of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Tai'an, Shandong, 271018, China
| | - Xinxin Tian
- Institute of Molecular Science, Key Laboratory of Materials for Energy Conversion and Storage of Shanxi Province, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Molecular Engineering of Ministry of Education, Shanxi University, Taiyuan, 030006, China
| | - Qiang Li
- Catalysis Center for Energy Innovation, University of Delaware, 221 Academy St., Newark, DE, 19716, USA
| | - Shenjie Liu
- College of Chemistry and Material Science, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai'an, Shandong, 271018, China
| | - Xiuying Zhao
- College of Chemistry and Material Science, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai'an, Shandong, 271018, China
| | | | - Xin Zhao
- College of Chemistry and Material Science, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai'an, Shandong, 271018, China
| | - Xiaoqing Lv
- College of Chemistry and Material Science, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai'an, Shandong, 271018, China
| | - Jing Xu
- College of Chemistry and Material Science, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai'an, Shandong, 271018, China
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Film Application of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Tai'an, Shandong, 271018, China
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4
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Guo Q, Su Z, Xiang D, Yu B, Wang D, Fan Y, Zheng F, Chen W. Fabrication of six-atom Pd clusters regulated with different short ligands and their surface structure-dependent catalytic activities. J Colloid Interface Sci 2024; 662:242-249. [PMID: 38350347 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2024.02.065] [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: 12/13/2023] [Revised: 01/13/2024] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 02/15/2024]
Abstract
As model catalysts, it is necessary to study the relationship between the structure and properties of ultra-small metal nanoclusters (MNCs) and to reduce their steric hindrance as much as possible, e.g. preparing ultrasmall MNCs protected by ultra-short ligands. However, it is challenging to attain various MNCs with the same cores but different surface stabilizing ligands. Additionally, shortening the chains of protecting ligands will lead to larger MNC cores. Here, four different Pd NCs (Pd6(SC4H9)12, Pd6(SC8H17)12, Pd6(SC6(C2)H17)12 and Pd6(SC6H13)12) were successfully synthesized by a slow synthesis process. All these clusters consist of six Pd atoms and are stabilized by 12 thiols with different chain lengths and steric hindrance. The catalytic properties of the as-prepared Pd6 NCs were evaluated using the catalytic reduction of p-nitroaniline to p-phenylenediamine as a model reaction. The outcomes indicated that shortening the chain length of the protecting thiols could enhance the catalytic activity of the Pd6 NCs. Notably, stable and active ultra-small Pd6 clusters stabilized by ultra-short ligands (HSC4H9) were successfully synthesized. Although the performance of Pd6(SC4H9)12 clusters protected by the ultra-short thiols is lower than that of commercial palladium on carbon (Pd/C), they display higher stability. Interestingly, the activity of Pd6 NCs protected by ethyl-branched alkane thiols is also better than that of Pd6 NCs protected by the alkane thiol ligands with the same chain length or the same number of carbon numbers. This work provides clear evidence that the catalytic activity of atomically precise MNCs can be controlled by regulating the surface stabilizing ligands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qian Guo
- School of Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangxi Normal University, Guilin 541004, China
| | - Ziyun Su
- School of Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangxi Normal University, Guilin 541004, China
| | - Dong Xiang
- New Energy Research Institute, School of Environment and Energy, South China University of Technology, Higher Education Mega Center, 382 East Waihuan Road, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Beirong Yu
- School of Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangxi Normal University, Guilin 541004, China
| | - Di Wang
- School of Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangxi Normal University, Guilin 541004, China
| | - Youjun Fan
- School of Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangxi Normal University, Guilin 541004, China
| | - Fuqin Zheng
- School of Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangxi Normal University, Guilin 541004, China.
| | - Wei Chen
- School of Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangxi Normal University, Guilin 541004, China.
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Kou M, Yuan Y, Zhao R, Wang Y, Zhao J, Yuan Q, Zhao J. Insights into the Origin of Activity Enhancement via Tuning Electronic Structure of Cu 2O towards Electrocatalytic Ammonia Synthesis. Molecules 2024; 29:2261. [PMID: 38792124 PMCID: PMC11124335 DOI: 10.3390/molecules29102261] [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: 04/11/2024] [Revised: 05/03/2024] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
The insight of the activity phase and reaction mechanism is vital for developing high-performance ammonia synthesis electrocatalysts. In this study, the origin of the electronic-dependent activity for the model Cu2O catalyst toward ammonia electrosynthesis with nitrate was probed. The modulation of the electronic state and oxygen vacancy content of Cu2O was realized by doping with halogen elements (Cl, Br, I). The electrocatalytic experiments showed that the activity of the ammonia production depends strongly on the electronic states in Cu2O. With increased electronic state defects in Cu2O, the ammonia synthesis performance increased first and then decreased. The Cu2O/Br with electronic defects in the middle showed the highest ammonia yield of 11.4 g h-1 g-1 at -1.0 V (vs. RHE), indicating that the pattern of change in optimal ammonia activity is consistent with the phenomenon of volcano curves in reaction chemistry. This work highlights a promising route for designing NO3-RR to NH3 catalysts.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Jiamin Zhao
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Liaocheng University, Liaocheng 252059, China; (M.K.); (Y.Y.); (R.Z.); (Y.W.)
| | - Qing Yuan
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Liaocheng University, Liaocheng 252059, China; (M.K.); (Y.Y.); (R.Z.); (Y.W.)
| | - Jinsheng Zhao
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Liaocheng University, Liaocheng 252059, China; (M.K.); (Y.Y.); (R.Z.); (Y.W.)
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6
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Sotgiu G, De Santis S, Orsini M, Bavasso I, Sarasini F, Petrucci E. Copper-Decorated Titanium Electrodes: Impact of Surface Modifications of Substrate on the Morphology and Electrochemical Performance. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2024. [PMID: 38691769 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.4c00203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/03/2024]
Abstract
This study investigates the effect of surface modifications of the titanium substrate on the growth of electrochemically deposited copper. These materials are intended to serve as cathodes in the electroreduction of nitrates in aqueous solutions. Surface modifications included the use of hydrogen fluoride for titanium etching and anodization to promote the growth of a structured titania nanotube array. The effect of an intermediate calcination step for the nanotubes before deposition was assessed along with a comparison to an untreated substrate electrode. The materials were comprehensively characterized by SEM, XRD, contact angle, potentiodynamic tests, EIS, and cyclic voltammetry. Their electrocatalytic ability was tested in the reduction of aqueous solutions containing nitrates. The results reveal that surface finishing impacted the shape and size of the Cu microparticles, as well as the nucleation mechanism enabling a crystal-facet-controllable synthesis. All the materials exhibited microsized copper particles with a spherical shape with some clusters. On the etched titanium surface, a high number of heterogeneous submicroscopic particles were also present. The thermally treated anodized substrate promoted the development of a combination of sparse microparticles corresponding to defect sites in amorphous titanium and the presence of a diffuse coating of octahedral nanosized particles whose growth was promoted by the tetragonal structure of anatase crystals. Electrochemical tests display reduced charge transfer resistance upon copper deposition on the modified substrates, which is indicative of the enhanced conductivity of the coated materials. Additionally, cyclic voltammetry and electrolysis experiments reveal the electrodes' potential for nitrate reduction, showing a better response for the etched titanium substrate (30% nitrate removal, after 2 h at 25 mA cm-2).
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Affiliation(s)
- Giovanni Sotgiu
- Department of Industrial, Electronic and Mechanical Engineering, Roma Tre University, Via Vito Volterra 62, 00146 Roma, Italy
| | - Serena De Santis
- Department of Industrial, Electronic and Mechanical Engineering, Roma Tre University, Via Vito Volterra 62, 00146 Roma, Italy
| | - Monica Orsini
- Department of Industrial, Electronic and Mechanical Engineering, Roma Tre University, Via Vito Volterra 62, 00146 Roma, Italy
| | - Irene Bavasso
- Department of Chemical Engineering Materials Environment, Sapienza University of Rome, Via Eudossiana 18, 00184 Roma, Italy
| | - Fabrizio Sarasini
- Department of Chemical Engineering Materials Environment, Sapienza University of Rome, Via Eudossiana 18, 00184 Roma, Italy
| | - Elisabetta Petrucci
- Department of Chemical Engineering Materials Environment, Sapienza University of Rome, Via Eudossiana 18, 00184 Roma, Italy
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7
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Zhang LN, Jia GA, Ma C, Jia MQ, Li TS, Ni LB, Diao GW. Polyoxometalate-Intercalated Tremella-Like CoNi-LDH Nanocomposites for Electrocatalytic Nitrite-Ammonia Conversion. Inorg Chem 2024; 63:6787-6797. [PMID: 38556762 DOI: 10.1021/acs.inorgchem.4c00130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/02/2024]
Abstract
The electrocatalytic reduction of NO2- (NO2RR) holds promise as a sustainable pathway to both promoting the development of emerging NH3 economies and allowing the closing of the NOx loop. Highly efficient electrocatalysts that could facilitate this complex six-electron transfer process are urgently desired. Herein, tremella-like CoNi-LDH intercalated by cyclic polyoxometalate (POM) anion P8W48 (P8W48/CoNi-LDH) prepared by a simple two-step hydrothermal-exfoliation assembly method is proposed as an effective electrocatalyst for NO2- to NH3 conversion. The introduction of POM with excellent redox ability tremendously increased the electrocatalytic performance of CoNi-LDH in the NO2RR process, causing P8W48/CoNi-LDH to exhibit large NH3 yield of 0.369 mmol h-1 mgcat-1 and exceptionally high Faradic efficiency of 97.0% at -1.3 V vs the Ag/AgCl reference electrode in 0.1 M phosphate buffer saline (PBS, pH = 7) containing 0.1 M NO2-. Furthermore, P8W48/CoNi-LDH demonstrated excellent durability during cyclic electrolysis. This work provides a new reference for the application of POM-based nanocomposites in the electrochemical reduction of NO2- to obtain value-added NH3.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lu-Nan Zhang
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225002, Jiangsu, China
| | - Guang-An Jia
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225002, Jiangsu, China
| | - Cheng Ma
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225002, Jiangsu, China
| | - Meng-Qi Jia
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225002, Jiangsu, China
| | - Tang-Suo Li
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225002, Jiangsu, China
| | - Lu-Bin Ni
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225002, Jiangsu, China
| | - Guo-Wang Diao
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225002, Jiangsu, China
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Xiong Y, Wang Y, Zhou J, Liu F, Hao F, Fan Z. Electrochemical Nitrate Reduction: Ammonia Synthesis and the Beyond. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2024; 36:e2304021. [PMID: 37294062 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202304021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2023] [Revised: 05/29/2023] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Natural nitrogen cycle has been severely disrupted by anthropogenic activities. The overuse of N-containing fertilizers induces the increase of nitrate level in surface and ground waters, and substantial emission of nitrogen oxides causes heavy air pollution. Nitrogen gas, as the main component of air, has been used for mass ammonia production for over a century, providing enough nutrition for agriculture to support world population increase. In the last decade, researchers have made great efforts to develop ammonia processes under ambient conditions to combat the intensive energy consumption and high carbon emission associated with the Haber-Bosch process. Among different techniques, electrochemical nitrate reduction reaction (NO3RR) can achieve nitrate removal and ammonia generation simultaneously using renewable electricity as the power, and there is an exponential growth of studies in this research direction. Here, a timely and comprehensive review on the important progresses of electrochemical NO3RR, covering the rational design of electrocatalysts, emerging CN coupling reactions, and advanced energy conversion and storage systems is provided. Moreover, future perspectives are proposed to accelerate the industrialized NH3 production and green synthesis of chemicals, leading to a sustainable nitrogen cycle via prosperous N-based electrochemistry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuecheng Xiong
- Department of Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, 999077, P. R. China
- Hong Kong Branch of National Precious Metals Material Engineering Research Center (NPMM), City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, 999077, P. R. China
| | - Yunhao Wang
- Department of Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, 999077, P. R. China
| | - Jingwen Zhou
- Department of Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, 999077, P. R. China
- Hong Kong Branch of National Precious Metals Material Engineering Research Center (NPMM), City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, 999077, P. R. China
| | - Fu Liu
- Department of Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, 999077, P. R. China
| | - Fengkun Hao
- Department of Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, 999077, P. R. China
| | - Zhanxi Fan
- Department of Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, 999077, P. R. China
- Hong Kong Branch of National Precious Metals Material Engineering Research Center (NPMM), City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, 999077, P. R. China
- City University of Hong Kong Shenzhen Research Institute, Shenzhen, 518057, P. R. China
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9
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Wang J, Deng X, Zhao H, Liu X, Zheng M, Jiang Z, Zhang L, Zhang H. Performance and mechanism of ammonia production by electrocatalytic nitrate reduction based on dodecahydro-closo-dodecaborate hybrid. J Colloid Interface Sci 2023; 652:945-951. [PMID: 37634367 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2023.08.132] [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: 07/14/2023] [Revised: 08/17/2023] [Accepted: 08/20/2023] [Indexed: 08/29/2023]
Abstract
Ammonia is an essential food and fertilizer component and is a fundamental raw material for industry and agriculture. In contrast, nitrate is the main pollutant that causes eutrophication in water. Electrocatalysis is a clean and efficient method for simultaneous nitrate removal and ammonia production. However, because ammonia production from the electrocatalytic nitrate reduction reaction (NO3RR) is a complex eight-electron process with slow kinetics, designing the cathode catalyst is critical for improving the ammonia yield. In this study, boron (B) doped metal oxides (TiZn2O4@B-x) obtained by coupling dodecahydro-closo-dodecaborate anions ([closo-B12H12]2-) and ZnTi-layered double hydroxides (ZnTi-LDH) after calcination was used as the cathode for the NO3RR. Specifically, TiZn2O4@B-700 exhibited excellent ammonia yield (21809.24 μg h-1 mgcat-1) and Faraday efficiency (FE) of (93.15%) at -1.8 V versus saturated calomel electrode (SCE). Furthermore, TiZn2O4@B-700 exhibited superior cycling stability and resistance to ionic interference. Moreover, density functional theory (DFT) calculations indicated that incorporating B increased the electron transfer rate and reduced the free energy required for the rate-limiting step of ammonia production via the NO3RR, thereby increasing the ammonia yield. This study provides a new concept for designing catalysts for green ammonia synthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiajia Wang
- School of Optoelectronic Materials and Technology, Jianghan University, Wuhan 430056, China; College of Chemistry and Molecular Sciences, Engineering Research Center of Organosilicon Compounds & Materials, Ministry of Education, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Xuefan Deng
- College of Chemistry and Molecular Sciences, Engineering Research Center of Organosilicon Compounds & Materials, Ministry of Education, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Haixu Zhao
- College of Chemistry and Molecular Sciences, Engineering Research Center of Organosilicon Compounds & Materials, Ministry of Education, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Xun Liu
- College of Chemistry and Molecular Sciences, Engineering Research Center of Organosilicon Compounds & Materials, Ministry of Education, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Mai Zheng
- College of Chemistry and Molecular Sciences, Engineering Research Center of Organosilicon Compounds & Materials, Ministry of Education, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Zan Jiang
- College of Chemistry and Molecular Sciences, Engineering Research Center of Organosilicon Compounds & Materials, Ministry of Education, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China.
| | - Long Zhang
- School of Optoelectronic Materials and Technology, Jianghan University, Wuhan 430056, China.
| | - Haibo Zhang
- College of Chemistry and Molecular Sciences, Engineering Research Center of Organosilicon Compounds & Materials, Ministry of Education, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China.
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10
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Chen S, Qi G, Yin R, Liu Q, Feng L, Feng X, Hu G, Luo J, Liu X, Liu W. Electrocatalytic nitrate-to-ammonia conversion on CoO/CuO nanoarrays using Zn-nitrate batteries. NANOSCALE 2023. [PMID: 38014771 DOI: 10.1039/d3nr05254k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2023]
Abstract
Zn-NO3- batteries can generate electricity while producing NH3 in an environmentally friendly manner, making them a very promising device. However, the conversion of NO3- to NH3 involves a proton-assisted 8-electron (8e-) transfer process with a high kinetic barrier, requiring high-performance catalysts to realize the potential applications of this technology. Herein, we propose a heterostructured CoO/CuO nanoarray electrocatalyst prepared on a copper foam (CoO/CuO-NA/CF) that can electrocatalytically and efficiently convert NO3- to NH3 at low potential and achieves a maximum NH3 yield of 296.9 μmol h-1 cm-2 and the Faraday efficiency (FE) of 92.9% at the -0.2 V vs. reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE). Impressively, Zn-NO3- battery based on the monolithic CoO/CuO-NA/CF electrode delivers a high NH3 yield of 60.3 μmol h-1 cm-2, FENH3 of 82.0%, and a power density of 4.3 mW cm-2. This study provides a paradigm for heterostructured catalyst preparation for the energy-efficient production of NH3 and simultaneously generating electrical energy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shanshan Chen
- Institute for New Energy Materials & Low-Carbon Technologies, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tianjin University of Technology, Tianjin 300384, China
| | - Gaocan Qi
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tianjin University of Technology, Tianjin 300384, China.
| | - Ruilian Yin
- College of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, China.
| | - Qian Liu
- Institute for Advanced Study, Chengdu University, Chengdu 610106, Sichuan, China
| | - Ligang Feng
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225002, China
| | - Xincai Feng
- ShenSi Lab, Shenzhen Institute for Advanced Study, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Longhua District, Shenzhen 518110, China
| | - Guangzhi Hu
- Institute for Ecological Research and Pollution Control of Plateau Lakes, School of Ecology and Environmental Science Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China
| | - Jun Luo
- ShenSi Lab, Shenzhen Institute for Advanced Study, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Longhua District, Shenzhen 518110, China
| | - Xijun Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Featured Metal Materials and Life-cycle Safety for Composite Structures, MOE Key Laboratory of New Processing Technology for Nonferrous Metals and Materials, School of Resources, Environment and Materials, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China.
| | - Wenxian Liu
- College of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, China.
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11
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Yao K, Fang Z, Wang J, Wang W, Wang M, Yan W, Ye M, Jiang B, Wu K, Wei X. Regulating charge distribution of Cu 3PdN nanocrystals for nitrate electroreduction to ammonia. Chem Commun (Camb) 2023; 59:12176-12179. [PMID: 37750034 DOI: 10.1039/d3cc02791k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/27/2023]
Abstract
As-synthesized Cu3PdN nanocrystals displayed high faradaic efficiency and selectivity for nitrate-to-ammonia conversion. The excellent performances can be attributed to the charge redistribution in Cu3PdN as a result of modulations of the electronic structures of Pd and Cu atoms, which altered the adsorption activation energy of the intermediates during the nitrate reduction reaction process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Yao
- Engineering Research Center of Biofilm Water Purification and Utilization Technology of Ministry of Education, Anhui University of Technology, Maanshan 243032, China.
| | - Zhaobin Fang
- Engineering Research Center of Biofilm Water Purification and Utilization Technology of Ministry of Education, Anhui University of Technology, Maanshan 243032, China.
| | - Jieyue Wang
- Engineering Research Center of Biofilm Water Purification and Utilization Technology of Ministry of Education, Anhui University of Technology, Maanshan 243032, China.
| | - Wenhai Wang
- Engineering Research Center of Biofilm Water Purification and Utilization Technology of Ministry of Education, Anhui University of Technology, Maanshan 243032, China.
| | - Mingyue Wang
- Engineering Research Center of Biofilm Water Purification and Utilization Technology of Ministry of Education, Anhui University of Technology, Maanshan 243032, China.
| | - Weijie Yan
- Engineering Research Center of Biofilm Water Purification and Utilization Technology of Ministry of Education, Anhui University of Technology, Maanshan 243032, China.
| | - Mingfu Ye
- Engineering Research Center of Biofilm Water Purification and Utilization Technology of Ministry of Education, Anhui University of Technology, Maanshan 243032, China.
- Institute of Clean Energy and Advanced Nanocatalysis (iClean), Anhui International Joint Research Center for Green Manufacturing and Biotechnology of Energy Materials, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Anhui University of Technology, Maanshan 243032, China
| | - Binbin Jiang
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Anqing Normal University, Anqing 246001, China.
| | - Konglin Wu
- Engineering Research Center of Biofilm Water Purification and Utilization Technology of Ministry of Education, Anhui University of Technology, Maanshan 243032, China.
- Anhui Laboratory of Molecule-Based Materials, College of Chemistry and Materials Science, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu 241002, China.
- Institute of Clean Energy and Advanced Nanocatalysis (iClean), Anhui International Joint Research Center for Green Manufacturing and Biotechnology of Energy Materials, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Anhui University of Technology, Maanshan 243032, China
| | - Xianwen Wei
- Engineering Research Center of Biofilm Water Purification and Utilization Technology of Ministry of Education, Anhui University of Technology, Maanshan 243032, China.
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12
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Yu Z, Xie J, Ren T, Yu H, Deng K, Wang Z, Wang H, Wang L, Xu Y. Electrochemical Postmodification-Induced Surface Atom Rearrangement over Cu Nanodendrites for Enhanced Electrosynthesis of Ammonia from Nitrate. Inorg Chem 2023; 62:16228-16235. [PMID: 37724563 DOI: 10.1021/acs.inorgchem.3c02886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/21/2023]
Abstract
Utilizing nitrate from wastewater as a N-source for ammonia synthesis via electrocatalysis is of significance for both environmental protection and ecological nitrogen cycle balance, which requires high-performance electrocatalysts to drive selective nitrate-to-ammonia transformation. In this work, an electrochemical postmodification strategy was developed to regulate the surface structure of presynthesized Cu nanodendrites at the atomic level. A combination of physicochemical characterization and electrochemical study demonstrates that such a treatment could induce surface Cu atom rearrangement and result in increased electrochemically active surface area and high density of surface-active sites, disclosing a high electrocatalytic nitrate-to-ammonia capability, with an optimal NH3 yield rate of 0.2238 mmol h-1 cm-2 and a corresponding Faradaic efficiency of 94.43%. This study may provide a guiding design avenue for atomic arrangement engineering of metallic nanocrystals via electrochemical postmodification for nitrate reduction reaction and other energy conversion electrocatalysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zuan Yu
- State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Green-Chemical Synthesis Technology, College of Chemical Engineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, P. R. China
| | - Jiangwei Xie
- State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Green-Chemical Synthesis Technology, College of Chemical Engineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 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 310014, P. R. China
| | - Hongjie Yu
- State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Green-Chemical Synthesis Technology, College of Chemical Engineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, P. R. China
| | - Kai Deng
- State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Green-Chemical Synthesis Technology, College of Chemical Engineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 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 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 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 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 310014, P. R. China
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13
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Liu H, Qin J, Mu J, Liu B. In situ interface engineered Co/NC derived from ZIF-67 as an efficient electrocatalyst for nitrate reduction to ammonia. J Colloid Interface Sci 2023; 636:134-140. [PMID: 36623366 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2023.01.014] [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: 12/15/2022] [Revised: 01/01/2023] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Electrocatalytic nitrate (NO3-) reduction to ammonia (NH3) is a promising alternative approach for simultaneous NH3 green synthesis and NO3- contaminants removal. However, the complex eight-electron reaction requires catalysts with superb performance due to the low NH3 selectivity and yield. In this work, the Co nanoparticles decorated N-doped carbon (NC) by in situ interface engineering were prepared by deriving ZIF-67 at 800 ℃ (Co/NC-800) for the selective NH3 synthesis. This catalyst exhibits a remarkable performance and excellent cycle stability, achieving a great NH3 yield of 1352.5 μg h-1 mgcat-1 at -1.7 V vs Ag/AgCl, with a high NH3 selectivity of up to 98.2 %, and a maximum Faradic efficiency of 81.2 % at -1.2 V vs Ag/AgCl. Moreover, DFT calculation results indicate that the interfacial effect between Co nanoparticle and NC could enhance electron transfer, and the composite Co/NC-800 shows a lower adsorption and conversion free energy, which promotes the production of ammonia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongfei Liu
- College of Resource and Environmental Engineering, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
| | - Jiangzhou Qin
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Peking University, The Key Laboratory of Water and Sediment Sciences, Ministry of Education, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Jincheng Mu
- College of Resource and Environmental Engineering, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
| | - Baojun Liu
- College of Resource and Environmental Engineering, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China.
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14
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Guo H, Li M, Yang Y, Luo R, Liu W, Zhang F, Tang C, Yang G, Zhou Y. Self-Supported Pd Nanorod Arrays for High-Efficient Nitrate Electroreduction to Ammonia. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2023; 19:e2207743. [PMID: 36683224 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202207743] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2022] [Revised: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Electrochemical nitrate (NO3 - ) reduction to ammonia (NH3 ) offers a promising pathway to recover NO3 - pollutants from industrial wastewater that can balance the nitrogen cycle and sustainable green NH3 production. However, the efficiency of electrocatalytic NO3 - reduction to NH3 synthesis remains low for most of electrocatalysts due to complex reaction processes and severe hydrogen precipitation reaction. Herein, high performance of nitrate reduction reaction (NO3 - RR) is demonstrated on self-supported Pd nanorod arrays in porous nickel framework foam (Pd/NF). It provides a lot of active sites for H* adsorption and NO3 - activation leading to a remarkable NH3 yield rate of 1.52 mmol cm-2 h-1 and a Faradaic efficiency of 78% at -1.4 V versus RHE. Notably, it maintains a high NH3 yield rate over 50 cycles in 25 h showing good stability. Remarkably, large-area Pd/NF electrode (25 cm2 ) shows a NH3 yield of 174.25 mg h-1 , be promising candidate for large-area device for industrial application. In situ FTIR spectroscopy and density functional theory calculations analysis confirm that the enrichment effect of Pd nanorods encourages the adsorption of H species for ammonia synthesis following a hydrogenation mechanism. This work brings a useful strategy for designing NO3 - RR catalysts of nanorod arrays with customizable compositions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heng Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Oil and Gas Reservoir Geology and Exploitation, Southwest Petroleum University, Chengdu, 610500, China
- School of New Energy and Materials, Southwest Petroleum University, Chengdu, 610500, China
| | - Mengyue Li
- School of New Energy and Materials, Southwest Petroleum University, Chengdu, 610500, China
| | - Yuantao Yang
- School of New Energy and Materials, Southwest Petroleum University, Chengdu, 610500, China
| | - Rui Luo
- School of New Energy and Materials, Southwest Petroleum University, Chengdu, 610500, China
| | - Wei Liu
- XJTU-Oxford International Joint Research Laboratory of Catalysis, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 7010049, China
| | - Fengying Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Oil and Gas Reservoir Geology and Exploitation, Southwest Petroleum University, Chengdu, 610500, China
- School of New Energy and Materials, Southwest Petroleum University, Chengdu, 610500, China
| | - Chun Tang
- State Key Laboratory of Oil and Gas Reservoir Geology and Exploitation, Southwest Petroleum University, Chengdu, 610500, China
- School of New Energy and Materials, Southwest Petroleum University, Chengdu, 610500, China
| | - Guidong Yang
- XJTU-Oxford International Joint Research Laboratory of Catalysis, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 7010049, China
| | - Ying Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Oil and Gas Reservoir Geology and Exploitation, Southwest Petroleum University, Chengdu, 610500, China
- School of New Energy and Materials, Southwest Petroleum University, Chengdu, 610500, China
- Tianfu Yongxing Laboratory, Chengdu, 611130, China
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