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Related Concept Videos

Rate-Determining Steps03:08

Rate-Determining Steps

Relating Reaction Mechanisms
In a multistep reaction mechanism, one of the elementary steps progresses significantly slower than the others. This slowest step is called the rate-limiting step (or rate-determining step). A reaction cannot proceed faster than its slowest step, and hence, the rate-determining step limits the overall reaction rate.
The concept of rate-determining step can be understood from the analogy of a 4-lane freeway with a short-stretch of traffic-bottleneck caused due to...
Voltaic/Galvanic Cells02:47

Voltaic/Galvanic Cells

Spontaneous Chemical Reactions
Spontaneous redox reactions occur abundantly in nature. The chemical reaction occurring in a disposable AA battery powering our remote controls is one such example of a spontaneous redox reaction. Another example is the immersion of coiled copper wire into an aqueous silver nitrate solution. The reaction shows a gradual, visually impressive color change from colorless to bright blue and the formation of a grey precipitate on the copper wire. In this experiment,...
Multi-Step Reactions02:31

Multi-Step Reactions

Chemical reactions often occur in a stepwise fashion involving two or more distinct reactions taking place in a sequence. A balanced equation indicates the reacting species and the product species, but it reveals no details about how the reaction occurs at the molecular level. The reaction mechanism (or reaction path) provides details regarding the precise, step-by-step process by which a reaction occurs. Each of the steps in a reaction mechanism is called an elementary reaction. These...
Types of Reversible Electrodes01:24

Types of Reversible Electrodes

For electrode reversibility to be maintained, all the reactants and products involved in the half-reaction must be present at the electrode. There are several types of reversible electrodes (half-cells).In metal-metal-ion electrodes, a metal balances electrochemically with a solution of its own ions. Examples are Cu2+|Cu and Zn2+|Zn. Metals that react with the solvent, like group 1 and most group 2 metals, which react with water, and zinc, which reacts with aqueous acidic solutions, cannot be...
Thermal and Photochemical Electrocyclic Reactions: Overview01:26

Thermal and Photochemical Electrocyclic Reactions: Overview

Electrocyclic reactions are reversible reactions. They involve an intramolecular cyclization or ring-opening of a conjugated polyene. Shown below are two examples of electrocyclic reactions. In the first reaction, the formation of the cyclic product is favored. In contrast, in the second reaction, ring-opening is favored due to the high ring strain associated with cyclobutene formation.
Catalysis02:50

Catalysis

The presence of a catalyst affects the rate of a chemical reaction. A catalyst is a substance that can increase the reaction rate without being consumed during the process. A basic comprehension of a catalysts’ role during chemical reactions can be understood from the concept of reaction mechanisms and energy diagrams.

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Synthesis and Performance Characterizations of Transition Metal Single Atom Catalyst for Electrochemical CO2 Reduction
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Triggering three-step relay mechanism over Cu-based electrocatalysts for nitrate reduction.

Minghao Guo1,2, Chengying Guo1, Chuanqi Cheng1

  • 1Institute of Molecular Plus, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
|June 15, 2026
PubMed
Summary

This study introduces a P-doped Cu cluster catalyst that enhances the electrocatalytic nitrate reduction reaction (NO3RR) via a three-step relay mechanism. This novel catalyst achieves high ammonia production efficiency and low onset potential, improving pollutant remediation.

Keywords:
Cu-based catalystscontinuous hydrogenationlow coordinationnitrate electroreductionthree-step relay

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Electrochemically and Bioelectrochemically Induced Ammonium Recovery
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Electrochemically and Bioelectrochemically Induced Ammonium Recovery

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Electrochemically and Bioelectrochemically Induced Ammonium Recovery
09:50

Electrochemically and Bioelectrochemically Induced Ammonium Recovery

Published on: January 22, 2015

Area of Science:

  • Electrochemistry
  • Catalysis
  • Environmental Science

Background:

  • Electrocatalytic nitrate reduction reaction (NO3RR) offers a promising route for pollutant remediation.
  • Copper (Cu)-based catalysts are favored for NO3RR due to nitrate adsorption properties.
  • Current hydrogenation mechanisms face challenges like high energy barriers and insufficient active hydrogen supply, limiting efficiency.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To design a P-doped Cu cluster catalyst to trigger and enhance the three-step relay (TSR) mechanism for NO3RR.
  • To overcome limitations of existing Cu-based catalysts in NO3RR, such as high onset potential and low faradaic efficiency.
  • To achieve superior NO3RR performance for ammonia synthesis.

Main Methods:

  • Synthesis of P-doped Cu cluster catalyst.
  • Electrochemical characterizations, including in situ studies.
  • Isotope-labeling experiments and theoretical calculations to elucidate the reaction mechanism.

Main Results:

  • The P-doped Cu cluster catalyst demonstrated an onset potential of -0.15 V (vs. RHE) and 99.17% faradaic efficiency for NH3 production.
  • Low-coordinated Cu in the cluster accelerated the spontaneous redox reaction between Cu and NO3-.
  • P doping provided sufficient active hydrogen (*H), facilitating the TSR pathway.

Conclusions:

  • The P-doped Cu cluster effectively triggers and enhances the TSR pathway for NO3RR.
  • This catalyst design significantly improves NO3RR performance compared to existing Cu-based catalysts.
  • The study provides insights into optimizing catalysts for efficient pollutant remediation through electrocatalysis.