Abstract
The electrocatalytic NO3− reduction reaction (NO3RR) to NH3 provides a promising pathway for ambient NH3 synthesis and environmental pollution treatment. Cu and its oxides are recognized as effective NO3RR electrocatalysts due to their favorable d-orbital energy levels and superior kinetics. In this work, mixed-valence Cu-based catalysts with tunable valence states were constructed via an inorganic salt-induced MOF-derived strategy. Notably, optimized Cu-CuxO/C-0.3 featured a Cu/Cu2O heterostructure and demonstrated the lowest Cu valence state. The resulting Cu/Cu2O heterointerface facilitated electron transfer and increased the density of electrochemically active sites, leading to an enhanced faradaic efficiency of 81.4% and a remarkable yield rate of 13.38 mg h−1 cm−2 (ca. 2.39 mol h−1 gcat.−1) at −0.8 V vs. RHE. This work presents insights for designing multi-phase heterostructured NO3RR catalysts and emphasizes their potential significance in efficient ammonia production.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 1673-1679 |
Number of pages | 7 |
Journal | Dalton Transactions |
Volume | 53 |
Issue number | 4 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 15 Dec 2023 |
Externally published | Yes |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Inorganic Chemistry