Green synthesis of Cu/Co bimetallic oxide catalyst and its application in electrocatalytic nitrate reduction to...

The electroreduction of nitrate to ammonia is considered an environmentally friendly and practically promising approach that can serve as an alternative to microbial nitrification and denitrification, offering a potential solution to nitrate pollution in water bodies while simultaneously producing a vital basic chemical, ammonia (NH₃). Low NH₃ yield and selectivity remain major challenges for this reaction, making the development of efficient catalysts crucial. Experimental findings indicate that the construction of Cu_xCo_yO₄@TiO₂/TM markedly boosts the catalytic efficiency TiO₂, especially by tuning the Cu/Co ratio to optimize catalytic activity, with the best catalytic performance observed at a Cu/Co ratio of 1:1. Furthermore, catalysts with different Cu/Co ratios exhibited consistent changes in morphology and catalytic performance, confirming the role of Cu/Co ratio in regulating catalyst morphology and catalytic activity. Theoretical calculations indicate that Cu and Co bimetallic active sites play a crucial role in charge transfer and structural reconfiguration. The introduction of Cu_xCo_yO₄ enhances the conductivity of TiO₂, improves charge transfer efficiency, and the optimization of the Cu/Co ratio significantly improves the overall performance of the nitrate reduction reaction. With the excellent catalytic performance and wide application prospects in wastewater treatment, this catalyst is expected to be a research hotspot in the fields of scientific research and engineering, contributing to future environmental protection and sustainable development.