Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 25, 2025

Synthesis of Platinum-nickel Nanowires and Optimization for Oxygen Reduction Performance
Published on: April 27, 2018
Nitrate-to-Ammonia Conversion on Ru/Ni Hydroxide Hybrid through Zinc-Nitrate Fuel Cell
1Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Distributed Energy Systems, Dongguan University of Technology, Dongguan, 523808, China.
Abstract:
The fuel cell is a basic device to generate electricity from chemical fuels. It is often operated with oxygen as the oxidizing agent, but its sluggish reduction has become a key challenge. Herein, a conceptual oxygen-free design is demonstrated, namely a zinc-nitrate fuel cell, which converts nitrate waste into valuable ammonia and generates electricity simultaneously. The cell is constructed with zinc foil as the anode and ruthenium (Ru) nanoparticles loaded on nickel foam as the cathode. Catalyzed by Ru/Ni hydroxide hybrid, the reaction rate of 384 mmol h-1 mgRu-1 (1.4 × 10-6 ± 0.1 × 10-6 mol s-1 cm-2 ) and Faradic efficiency (FENH3 = 97% ± 2%) at -0.6 V versus reverse hydrogen electrode are achieved for nitrate-to-ammonia conversion. During ammonia production, such zinc-nitrate fuel cell can further deliver a maximum power density of 51.5 mW cm-2 (0.25 cm2 electrode) and 23.3 mW cm-2 (1 cm2 electrode), keeping ultrahigh Faradic efficiency (97% ± 4% at 40 mA cm-2 ) after long tests.
More Related Videos
08:40Synthesis of Metal Nanoparticles Supported on Carbon Nanotube with Doped Co and N Atoms and its Catalytic Applications in Hydrogen Production
Published on: December 6, 2021
08:05Measurement of the Potential Rates of Dissimilatory Nitrate Reduction to Ammonium Based on 14NH4+/15NH4+ Analyses via Sequential Conversion to N2O
Published on: October 7, 2020
Related Concept Videos
Nitriles to Amines: LiAlH4 Reduction
As shown below, the mechanism involves three steps. Firstly, the hydride ion acting as a nucleophile attacks the nitrile carbon to form an anion. In the second step, a second equivalent of the hydride ion attacks the anion to...
Batteries and Fuel Cells
1° Amines to Diazonium or Aryldiazonium Salts: Diazotization with NaNO2 Mechanism
Preparation of Amines: Reduction of Oximes and Nitro Compounds
Though catalytic hydrogenation can reduce nitrobenzenes, the reduction is nonselective in the presence of other functional groups. For instance, if nitrobenzene contains an aldehyde group,...
Preparation of Amines: Reduction of Amides and Nitriles
Amides can be reduced to primary, secondary, and tertiary amines using catalytic hydrogenation, active metals like Fe,...
1° Amines to Diazonium or Aryldiazonium Salts: Diazotization with NaNO2 Overview
The nitrous acid is unstable. Hence, it is formed in situ from a solution of sodium nitrite and cold aqueous acids such as hydrochloric or sulfuric acid. In an acidic solution, the –OH group of nitrous acid undergoes protonation to give oxonium ion, followed by...