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Title: Elucidating electrochemical nitrate and nitrite reduction over atomically-dispersed transition metal sites

Journal Article · · Nature Communications
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Abstract Electrocatalytic reduction of waste nitrates (NO 3 ) enables the synthesis of ammonia (NH 3 ) in a carbon neutral and decentralized manner. Atomically dispersed metal-nitrogen-carbon (M-N-C) catalysts demonstrate a high catalytic activity and uniquely favor mono-nitrogen products. However, the reaction fundamentals remain largely underexplored. Herein, we report a set of 14; 3 d -, 4 d -, 5 d - and f -block M-N-C catalysts. The selectivity and activity of NO 3 reduction to NH 3 in neutral media, with a specific focus on deciphering the role of the NO 2 intermediate in the reaction cascade, reveals strong correlations (R=0.9) between the NO 2 reduction activity and NO 3 reduction selectivity for NH 3 . Moreover, theoretical computations reveal the associative/dissociative adsorption pathways for NO 2 evolution, over the normal M-N 4 sites and their oxo-form (O-M-N 4 ) for oxyphilic metals. This work provides a platform for designing multi-element NO 3 RR cascades with single-atom sites or their hybridization with extended catalytic surfaces.

Research Organization:
Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
European Research Council (ERC); National Science Foundation (NSF); USDOE; USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA); USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Energy Efficiency Office. Advanced Materials & Manufacturing Technologies Office (AMMTO); USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES). Scientific User Facilities (SUF)
Grant/Contract Number:
89233218CNA000001; AC02-05CH11231; AC02-06CH11357; NA0003525
OSTI ID:
1992949
Report Number(s):
LA-UR--22-29040; 4554; PII: 40174
Journal Information:
Nature Communications, Journal Name: Nature Communications Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 14; ISSN 2041-1723
Publisher:
Nature Publishing GroupCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United Kingdom
Language:
English

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