Cu/Cu + Synergetic Effect in Cu 2 O/Cu/CF Electrocatalysts for Efficient Nitrate Reduction to Ammonia

作者：Zhaoran Shen, Jiabiao Yan, Min Wang, Lidan Xing, Bingji Huang, Hangyan Zhou, Wenbo Li, Lisong Chen, Jianlin Shi · 发表于：ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering · 年份：2023 · DOI：10.1021/acssuschemeng.3c01514 · 被引用次数：60 · 研究领域：Ammonia Synthesis and Nitrogen Reduction、Caching and Content Delivery、Advanced Photocatalysis Techniques

Electrocatalytic nitrate reduction reaction (NO 3 – RR) has been considered a promising technology to produce ammonia but is inhibited by poor electrocatalytic performances. Therefore, the development of efficient electrocatalysts and investigation of corresponding reaction mechanisms are critically important. Herein, an efficient dendritic Cu 2 O/Cu grown on Cu foam (D-Cu 2 O/Cu/CF) has been synthesized by a facile electrodeposition method, and the synergetic effect of Cu and Cu + in NO 3 – RR has been investigated. In situ and ex situ data testify the synergetic effect clearly that Cu sites are responsible for the beginning of nitrate conversion to nitrite, while Cu + sites are the active center for subsequent nitrite reduction to ammonia. In addition, in situ-generated active Cu + sites further enhance the catalytic performances. Therefore, an extraordinarily high nitrate removal rate of 98.9% together with a relatively high ammonia yield rate of 11.2 mg h –1 cm –2 can be obtained in electrolytes containing 90 ppm of nitrate.