Strained Au skin on Mesoporous Intermetallic AuCu3 Nanocoral for Electrocatalytic Conversion of Nitrate to Ammonia across a Wide Concentration Range.
Angew Chem Int Ed Engl
; 63(36): e202408758, 2024 Sep 02.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-38899532
ABSTRACT
Electrochemical nitrate reduction reaction (NitRR) uses nitrate from wastewater, offering a hopeful solution for environmental issues and ammonia production. Yet, varying nitrate levels in real wastewater greatly affect NitRR, slowing down its multi-step process. Herein, a multi-strategy approach was explored through the design of ordered mesoporous intermetallic AuCu3 nanocorals with ultrathin Au skin (meso-i-AuCu3@ultra-Au) as an efficient and concentration-versatile catalyst for NitRR. The highly penetrated structure, coupled with the compressive stress exerted on the skin layer, not only facilitates rapid electron/mass transfer, but also effectively modulates the surface electronic structure, addressing the concentration-dependent challenges encountered in practical NitRR process. As expected, the novel catalyst demonstrates outstanding NitRR activities and Faradaic efficiencies exceeding 95 % across a real and widespread concentration range (10-2000â
mM). Notably, its performance at each concentration matched or exceeded that of the best-known catalyst designed for that concentration. Multiple operando spectroscopies unveiled the catalyst concurrently optimized the adsorption behavior of different intermediates (adsorbed *NOx and *H) while expediting the hydrogenation steps, leading to an efficient overall reduction process. Moreover, the catalyst also displays promising potential for use in ammonia production at industrial-relevant current densities and in conceptual zinc-nitrate batteries, serving trifunctional nitrate conversion, ammonia synthesis and power supply.
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1
Bases de dados:
MEDLINE
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Angew Chem Int Ed Engl
Ano de publicação:
2024
Tipo de documento:
Article
País de afiliação:
China