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Updated: Jun 9, 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
Hydrogen Spillover Synergistically Enhances Electrocatalytic Nitrate Reduction to Ammonia on SnO2-CuO
Hongze Liu1, Zhibiao Cui1, Shouyuan Zhong1
1Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Energy Materials Service Safety & Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Special Functional Materials, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, P. R. China.
Abstract:
The electrocatalytic nitrate reduction reaction (NO3RR) offers an ideal solution to addressing nitrogen cycle imbalances and energy challenges. However, the competing hydrogen evolution reaction and limited efficient catalysts result in unsatisfactory NO3RR efficiency. Herein, SnO2-CuO hollow nanofibers with hierarchical heterointerfaces were prepared via an electrospinning and calcination strategy. Experimental and theoretical calculations demonstrate that Sn sites in the SnO2-CuO hierarchical heterojunction can effectively promote water splitting to provide active hydrogen (*H), while Cu sites facilitate the adsorption and reduction of NO3 -, which accelerates the hydrogenation reaction of *NOx intermediates. Furthermore, charge redistribution at the SnO2-CuO interface generates a built-in electric field, significantly reducing the diffusion energy barrier of *H and promoting the migration kinetics of electrons/*H, thereby achieving efficient collaboration between hydrogen spillover and electron transfer at the interface. The as-prepared SnO2-CuO composite achieved superior Faradaic efficiency (94.89%, - 0.9 V vs RHE) and NH3 yield (628.14 µmol h-1 cm-2). A rechargeable Zn-NO3 - battery fabricated using this catalyst continuously produces NH3 while discharging electrical energy, highlighting the feasibility of an integrated platform for pollutant resource recovery and energy storage. This study provides effective insights into the advanced structural and functional design of highly efficient NO3RR catalysts.
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