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Electrolyte-Regulated Self-Healing Cu/Oxide Interfaces for Stable Electrocatalysis in Strong Acid
Fukang Liu1, Rui Yu1, Sijia Liu1
1The Key Laboratory of Functional Molecular Solids, Ministry of Education, The Key Laboratory of Electrochemical Clean Energy of Anhui Higher Education Institutes, College of Chemistry and Materials Science, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, China.
Advanced Materials (Deerfield Beach, Fla.)
|July 24, 2026
Summary
Researchers developed a dynamic catalyst system using soluble copper ions to replenish active sites, preventing degradation during electrochemical reactions. This approach enhances ammonia synthesis efficiency and durability in acidic conditions.
Area of Science:
- Electrochemistry
- Materials Science
- Catalysis
Background:
- Metastable metal active sites degrade in corrosive electrochemical environments due to continuous dissolution.
- Maintaining catalytically active surface populations is crucial for efficient and durable electrochemical processes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a method for preserving metastable metal active sites under harsh electrochemical conditions.
- To demonstrate a dynamic catalyst system that utilizes soluble metal ions as a reservoir for sustained activity.
Main Methods:
- Employing acidic nitrate-to-ammonia electrosynthesis as a model system.
- Utilizing dissolved Cu2+ ions to dynamically replenish copper active sites.
- Coupling soluble copper ions with acid-stable WO3 nanorods to create a hierarchical active interface.
- Characterizing the system using operando spectroscopy, X-ray absorption analysis, and theoretical calculations.
Main Results:
- Dissolved Cu2+ ions act as an external reservoir, sustaining a dynamic active-site population through a dissolution-redeposition equilibrium.
- The Cu/WO3 interface, featuring single atoms and nanoclusters stabilized by Cu─O─W coupling, enhances nitrate capture and hydrogenation kinetics.
- Achieved >90% NH3 Faradaic efficiency in strong acid over a wide potential window.
- Demonstrated stable operation exceeding 1000 hours at ampere levels in a 25 cm2 membrane electrode assembly, with NH3 production rates up to 0.37 g h-1.
Conclusions:
- A dynamic catalyst strategy using soluble metal ions can effectively mitigate catalyst degradation in corrosive electrochemical conditions.
- The adaptive Cu/WO3 interface provides a robust platform for efficient and durable electrochemical ammonia synthesis.
- This approach offers a promising pathway for developing next-generation catalysts for challenging electrochemical transformations.
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