Pulsed electroreduction of low-concentration nitrate to ammonia.
Nat Commun
; 14(1): 7368, 2023 Nov 14.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-37963900
ABSTRACT
Electrocatalytic nitrate (NO3-) reduction to ammonia (NRA) has emerged as an alternative strategy for effluent treatment and ammonia production. Despite significant advancements that have been achieved in this field, the efficient conversion of low-concentration nitrate to ammonia at low overpotential remains a formidable challenge. This challenge stems from the sluggish reaction kinetics caused by the limited distribution of negatively charged NO3- in the vicinity of the working electrode and the competing side reactions. Here, a pulsed potential approach is introduced to overcome these issues. A good NRA performance (Faradaic efficiency 97.6%, yield rate 2.7 mmol-1 h-1 mgRu-1, conversion rate 96.4%) is achieved for low-concentration (≤10 mM) nitrate reduction, obviously exceeding the potentiostatic test (Faradaic efficiency 65.8%, yield rate 1.1 mmol-1 h-1 mgRu-1, conversion rate 54.1%). The combined results of in situ characterizations and finite element analysis unveil the performance enhancement mechanism that the periodic appearance of anodic potential can significantly optimize the adsorption configuration of the key *NO intermediate and increase the local NO3- concentration. Furthermore, our research implies an effective approach for the rational design and precise manipulation of reaction processes, potentially extending its applicability to a broader range of catalytic applications.
Texto completo:
1
Colección:
01-internacional
Base de datos:
MEDLINE
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Nat Commun
Asunto de la revista:
BIOLOGIA
/
CIENCIA
Año:
2023
Tipo del documento:
Article
País de afiliación:
China