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Updated: Jun 3, 2025

Electrochemically and Bioelectrochemically Induced Ammonium Recovery
Published on: January 22, 2015
Interfacial Water Regulation for Nitrate Electroreduction to Ammonia at Ultralow Overpotentials
Yuchi Wan1, Maojun Pei1, Yixiang Tang1
1Institute of New Energy Materials and Engineering, Fujian Engineering Research Center of High Energy Batteries and New Energy Equipment & Systems, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, 350108, China.
Abstract:
Nitrate electroreduction is promising for achieving effluent waste-water treatment and ammonia production with respect to the global nitrogen balance. However, due to the impeded hydrogenation process, high overpotentials need to be surmounted during nitrate electroreduction, causing intensive energy consumption. Herein, a hydroxide regulation strategy is developed to optimize the interfacial H2O behavior for accelerating the hydrogenation conversion of nitrate to ammonia at ultralow overpotentials. The well-designed Ru─Ni(OH)2 electrocatalyst shows a remarkable energy efficiency of 44.6% at +0.1 V versus RHE and a nearly 100% Faradaic efficiency for NH3 synthesis at 0 V versus RHE. In situ characterizations and theoretical calculations indicate that Ni(OH)2 can regulate the interfacial H2O structure with a promoted H2O dissociation process and contribute to the spontaneous hydrogen spillover process for boosting NO3 - electroreduction to NH3 at Ru sites. Furthermore, the assembled rechargeable Zn-NO3 -/ethanol battery system exhibits an outstanding long-term cycling stability during the charge-discharge tests with the production of high-value-added ammonium acetate, showing great potential for simultaneously achieving nitrate removal, energy conversion, and chemical synthesis. This work can not only provide a guidance for interfacial H2O regulation in extensive hydrogenation reactions but also inspire the design of a novel hybrid flow battery with multiple functions.
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