Insights into interfacial water and key intermediates on Cu₉₅Co₅ aerogels for electrocatalytic nitrate-to-ammonia conversion.

ABSTRACT: Electrocatalytic nitrate reduction (NO₃RR) to ammonia presents a sustainable route for pollutant remediation and green synthesis, yet challenges persist in achieving high efficiency and selectivity. Herein, we report a cobalt-doped copper aerogel (Cu₉₅Co₅) synthesized via one-step co-reduction, demonstrating exceptional NO₃RR performance with 94.91% faradaic efficiency at -0.6 V and 31.15 mg per mg_cat per cm² per h NH₃ yield at -0.7 V vs. RHE. The system achieves an impressive energy efficiency of 31.03% and enables a record-low ammonia production cost of $0.53 per kg. Multiscale characterization reveals that Co doping induces lattice contraction, optimizes d-band positioning, and enhances interfacia

SUBMITTER: Mu M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12459286 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature