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Updated: Jun 7, 2025

Synthesis and Performance Characterizations of Transition Metal Single Atom Catalyst for Electrochemical CO2 Reduction
Published on: April 10, 2018
Electroreduction of CO2 and nitrate for urea synthesis on a low-coordinated copper catalyst
Peng Guo1, Xindong Wang1, Yufei Wang2
1School of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Zhongyuan University of Technology, Zhengzhou 451191, China.
Abstract:
Electroreduction of CO2 and NO3- to urea (ECNU) offers a fascinating route for migrating NO3- pollutants and synthesizing valuable urea. Herein, low-coordinated copper (L-Cu) is developed as an effective ECNU catalyst, delivering the highest urea yield rate of 30.96 mmol h-1 g-1 and urea-faradaic efficiency of 50.42% in a flow cell. Theoretical calculations reveal that Cu sites and low-coordinated Cu (CuL) sites on L-Cu can synergistically promote C-N coupling and inhibit the competing side reactions, leading to a high CO2/NO3--to-urea efficiency.
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