Amorphous/Crystalline Heterojunction Ni(OH)₂/Cu₂O(111) for Photoelectrocatalysis NO₃ ^--to-NH₃: Positive Onset...

Photoelectrocatalytic selective nitrate (NO₃ ^-) reduction to ammonia (NH₃) offers a sustainable route for the green nitrogen cycle, overcoming the inherent limitations of standalone electrocatalysis and photocatalysis. The central challenge is developing an efficient photoelectrocatalyst that simultaneously reduces overpotential and maximizes NH₃ selectivity. Herein, an amorphous/crystalline heterojunction Ni(OH)₂/Cu₂O bonded by Cu-O_v-Ni, is constructed via photoelectrocatalytic interface regulation for synergistic photoelectrocatalysis (SPEC) NH₃ synthesis. Results demonstrate ∼100% light absorption efficiency and ∼90% high charge separation efficiency, enabling almost completely rapid 98.80% NO₃ ^- conversion with stable NH₃ FE (> 99%) and high selectivity (> 97%). A superior NH₃ yield of 1316.1 µmol h^-1 cm^-2 is attained, alongside an excellent positive onset potential of 0.322 V versus RHE. In situ experiments further reveal that crystalline Cu₂O activates carriers to accelerate the rate-determining step (N⁺⁵ → N⁺³), while amorphous Ni(OH)₂ significantly enhances electron extraction and *H accumulation for protonation (N⁺³ → N^-3). Increasing potential shifts the system from electro-assisted photocatalysis (activating Cu-O···*NO₃ ^- sites) to photo-assisted electrocatalysis (Cu₂O → Ni(OH)₂ electron transfer), then to SPEC (efficient *H coupling) process. Further application to actual fertilizer plant wastewater achieves ∼90% NO₃ ^- removal efficiency and > 85% NH₃ selectivity, demonstrating promising scalability for efficient photoelectrocatalysis NO₃ ^--to-NH₃ with great environmental remediation potential.