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Selective and Long-Term Stable Ammonia Electrolysis Using Pt-WOx Catalysts with Suppressed NOx Formation and Enhanced
Changhyun Lim1,2, Hyogyun Roh1,2, Hyeon Kim3
1Surface Chemistry Laboratory of Electronic Materials (SCHEMA), Department of Chemical Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), Pohang, 37673, Republic of Korea.
Advanced Science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany)
|October 27, 2025
Summary
A new platinum on tungsten suboxide catalyst enhances ammonia electrolysis for efficient hydrogen production. This bifunctional catalyst shows high activity and stability, overcoming limitations of previous electrocatalysts.
Area of Science:
- Electrochemistry
- Materials Science
- Catalysis
Background:
- Ammonia electrolysis is a promising low-voltage hydrogen production method.
- Electrocatalyst limitations, including sluggish kinetics and intermediate poisoning, hinder ammonia electrolysis.
- Developing robust bifunctional electrocatalysts is crucial for advancing this technology.
Purpose of the Study:
- To introduce a novel photodeposited platinum on tungsten suboxide nanowire (Pt-WOx (P)) bifunctional electrocatalyst.
- To investigate the mechanism and performance of Pt-WOx (P) for ammonia electrolysis.
- To address challenges of reaction kinetics and catalyst deactivation in ammonia electrocatalysis.
Main Methods:
- Photodeposition of platinum onto tungsten suboxide nanowires.
- Attenuated total reflection-surface enhanced infrared absorption spectroscopy (ATR-SEIRAS) to identify reaction mechanisms.
- Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations to understand electronic effects and energy barriers.
- Electrochemical measurements including cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry.
Main Results:
- Pt-WOx (P) exhibits strong metal-support interaction and enhanced electron transfer.
- ATR-SEIRAS identified the Gerischer-Mauerer (G-M) mechanism and suppressed NOx poisoning.
- DFT confirmed reduced energy barriers for the rate-determining step.
- Achieved high peak current density (49.69 mA cm⁻²) and stability (>120 h).
- Demonstrated >500 mA cm⁻² in an MEA-based flow cell.
Conclusions:
- The Pt-WOx (P) catalyst demonstrates superior activity and stability for ammonia electrolysis.
- The photodeposition method effectively enhances catalyst performance by optimizing electronic properties and interfacial bonding.
- This bifunctional catalyst shows significant potential for efficient and durable hydrogen production via ammonia electrolysis.
