Synergistic integration of nickel oxide and low-valent copper for enhanced electrocatalytic nitrate reduction to ammonia
Nitrate (NO 3 − ) pollution in groundwater has emerged as a pressing environmental issue of global concern. The excessive application of chemical fertilizers is widely recognized as the primary contributor to this pollution Nitrate ions pose significant risks to human health and the ecological environment. Electrochemical reduction of NO 3 − to NH 3 (NITRR) represents an effective approach for nitrogen recovery and recycling. Among many electrode materials, copper-based catalysts were considered promising due to their low cost and strong NO 3 − conversion capability. However, excessively strong adsorption can lead to catalyst deactivation, thereby diminishing catalytic activity. In this study, we developed an electrode material (Cu@NiO/NF) with low-valent copper (Cu δ+ ) through the combination of Cu and NiO, and it exhibited excellent catalytic performance in the NITRR process. At − 0.45 V vs. RHE, this catalyst achieved a Faraday efficiency of 95.7 % and an ammonia yield of 0.85 mg h −1 cm −2 . Further experiments and theoretical calculations demonstrate that the presence of NiO in Cu@NiO/NF stabilizes Cu δ+ , thereby enhancing the charge transfer rate and promoting the formation of hydrogen radicals (H•). This work has pioneered a new avenue for the development of efficient and innovative NTIRR materials.
危险品化学品经营许可证（带存储）