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Updated: Mar 19, 2026

Synthesis 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
Unravelling the Ru-promoted dynamic evolution of Cobalt hydroxide during nitrate reduction towards ammonia production
Di Liu1, Haoyun Bai2, Mingpeng Chen3
1Institute of Applied Physics and Materials Engineering, University of Macau, Macao SAR, China.
None:
Geen ammonia synthesis through electrochemical nitrate reduction (e-NO3R) using cost-effective Co-based catalysts is promising, but the inevitable structural evolution induced by reductive potentials compromises long-term stability and hinders practical implementation. Focusing on β-Co(OH)2, which serves as the active phase in e-NO3R systems, this work combines experimental analysis and computational studies to reveal a dynamic surface *OH evolution process: *OH cleavage under negative potentials and *OH generation by the dissociation of NO3-. Notably, Ru nanoparticles anchored on β-Co(OH)2 nanosheets promote structural evolution by facilitating *OH cleavage and generation, thereby sustaining a highly active and selective OH-terminated surface. Simultaneously, Ru provides moderate *H adsorption, accelerates the conversions from NO3- to NO2- and from NO2- to NH3, and thus enhances ammonia synthesis. The optimized Co(OH)2-Ru catalyst achieves an ammonia yield of 98 ± 0.91 mg·h-1·cm-2 with a Faradaic efficiency (FE) of 97.7 ± 0.90 % at -0.7 V versus reversible hydrogen electrode (vs. RHE), while maintaining NH3 FEs above 95% across a broad potential window. This work elucidates structural evolution dynamics, offering a design principle for robust electrocatalysts.
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