Efficient urea electrosynthesis via coordination of the reaction rate of carbon dioxide and nitrate co‐reduction
Sibo Chen, Guangtong Hai, Hui Cheng, Dan Xie, Gao‐Feng Chen, Liang‐Xin Ding, Haihui Wang
Abstract
Abstract The electrochemical co‐reduction of CO 2 and NO 3 − to urea is an alternative to traditional urea synthesis. However, the significant difference in the energy barriers and reaction rates for CO 2 and NO 3 − reduction restricts the efficiency of the CN coupling. Herein, we report a strategy to coordinate the CN coupling intermediates by unilaterally increasing the efficiency of CO 2 reduction to match that of facile NO 3 − reduction. We demonstrate this strategy using an electrochemical reaction system consisting of a Cu 2 O‐loaded ordered gas‐diffusion electrode, which offers a high urea yield rate of 1373.5 μg h −1 mg cat. −1 at a low applied potential of −0.6 V versus RHE. This work not only provides a feasible strategy to coordinate the reductive coupling of CO 2 and NO 3 − , but also brings new insight into the reaction mechanism of urea electrosynthesis.