Electrifying nitrate conversion: Dual-metal-site catalysts as a game-changer for sustainable NH <sub>3</sub> production
Jiacheng Wang, Junqing Ma, Hanxiao Du, Ruguang Ma, Jiacheng Wang
Abstract
Electrochemical nitrate reduction reaction (NO<sub>3</sub>RR) emerges as a sustainable approach for converting residual nitrate pollutants into valuable ammonia under ambient conditions, offering a promising alternative to the energy-intensive Haber-Bosch process. Compared to single-metal-site electrocatalysts, dual-metal-site (DMS) electrocatalysts show synergistic effects between adjacent metal sites, effectively regulating the electronic state and enhancing the catalytic activity and selectivity for NO<sub>3</sub>RR with multi-step proton and electron transfers. Further understanding on NO<sub>3</sub>RR is of practical significance for design of efficient DMS electrocatalysts. This review aims to systematically investigate the recent advancement of DMS electrocatalysts for NO<sub>3</sub>RR to ammonia synthesis, providing new understandings and insights into this catalytic process. The NO<sub>3</sub>RR mechanism, artificial intelligence (AI)-driven DMS synthesis, DMS synthesis/characterization, and design of chemical reaction systems are categorized and discussed. DMS electrocatalysts for NO<sub>3</sub>RR at the cathode can reduce the energy input for water oxidation, biomass oxidation reactions, and zinc-nitrate batteries, while simultaneously enhancing the yields of anode and cathode products. Finally, the remaining challenges and future perspectives for DMS electrocatalysts in NO<sub>3</sub>RR are further discussed. This review provides in-depth guidance for rational design of dual-site electrocatalysts, facilitating practical and sustainable electrochemical processes in the near future.