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Updated: May 19, 2026
09:50
Electrochemically and Bioelectrochemically Induced Ammonium Recovery
Published on: January 22, 2015
Palladium-Doping-Enabled Interface Synergy for Superb Ampere Level Ammonia Electrosynthesis From Nitrate.
Qun He1, Chuanqiang Wu2, Zhangsheng Shi1
1Department of Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, China.
Angewandte Chemie (International Ed. in English)
|May 18, 2026
Summary
We developed a novel palladium-doped cobalt catalyst for efficient electrocatalytic nitrate-to-ammonia conversion. This catalyst achieves high ammonia yield at industrial current densities, overcoming previous performance limitations.
Area of Science:
- Electrochemistry
- Catalysis
- Materials Science
Background:
- Electrocatalytic nitrate-to-ammonia conversion is crucial for sustainable ammonia production.
- Current industrial applications are limited by insufficient performance at high current densities.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a high-performance electrocatalyst for nitrate-to-ammonia conversion.
- To investigate the mechanism behind enhanced catalytic activity.
Main Methods:
- Electrochemical synthesis and characterization of a palladium-doped cobalt catalyst.
- In situ spectroscopy and theoretical simulations to elucidate the reaction mechanism.
- Performance evaluation at industrial current densities.
Main Results:
- Achieved >98.0% ammonia Faradaic efficiency at -1.43 A cm⁻².
- Demonstrated stable operation for over 170 hours.
- Identified a dual-enhancement mechanism involving Pd doping and microenvironment reconstruction.
Conclusions:
- Palladium doping in cobalt enhances nitrate-to-ammonia conversion by optimizing kinetics and interfacial properties.
- Microenvironment reconstruction, including cation enrichment and tailored water network, is key for high-flux electrocatalysis.
- Synergistic atomic-site engineering and microenvironment control offer a new pathway for advanced electrocatalysis.
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