biostudies-literatureLiu SNational Natural Science Foundation of ChinaNational Key Research and Development Program of ChinaNational Natural Science Foundation of China (National Science Foundation of China)1787https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC12917280biostudies-literatureUnknown17(1)Reducing the energy cost and CO₂ emission of traditional urea synthesis through alternative strategy is crucial for the sustainable social development. Herein, we report the electrosynthesis of urea from nitrate and CO₂ on Ag/CdO heterostructured catalyst with low overpotential. The optimized Ag_0.07/CdO catalyst demonstrates a high urea yield rate of 111.6 ± 3.1 mmol g_cat.^-1 h^-1 with 50.0 ± 2.7% Faradaic efficiency at -0.15 V vs. RHE in a flow cell, and can further achieve a urea yield rate of 427.0 ± 30.2 mmol g_cat.^-1 h^-1 in an optimized two-electrode cell with stable response for 1000 h. Operando spectroscopy and theoretical calculations indicate that Ag attracts *NO₂ intermediatNature communicationsSelective electrosynthesis of urea from nitrate and carbon dioxide with low overpotential.PMC1291728022379048U24A20499Liu JHuang YWang TCai ZLi QLiu SLin ZShi HfalseSelective electrosynthesis of urea from nitrate and carbon dioxide with low overpotential.Reducing the energy cost and CO₂ emission of traditional urea synthesis through alternative strategy is crucial for the sustainable social development. Herein, we report the electrosynthesis of urea from nitrate and CO₂ on Ag/CdO heterostructured catalyst with low overpotential. The optimized Ag_0.07/CdO catalyst demonstrates a high urea yield rate of 111.6 ± 3.1 mmol g_cat.^-1 h^-1 with 50.0 ± 2.7% Faradaic efficiency at -0.15 V vs. RHE in a flow cell, and can further achieve a urea yield rate of 427.0 ± 30.2 mmol g_cat.^-1 h^-1 in an optimized two-electrode cell with stable response for 1000 h. Operando spectroscopy and theoretical calculations indicate that Ag attracts *NO₂ intermediat2026-01-01T00:00:00Z2026 Jan2026-07-16T09:54:04.38Z2026-07-09T10:49:19.939ZS-EPMC129172804154004810.1038/s41467-026-68497-y