Ambient ammonia synthesis from air via tandem water microdroplets–driven oxidation and pulsed photoelectrochemical reduction

Abstract

Artificial N 2 reduction offers a sustainable approach to green NH 3 synthesis, but the practical implementation is challenged by N 2 activation and competing hydrogen evolution. Photoelectrochemical nitrate and nitrite (NO x – , x = 2 and 3) reduction with favorable thermodynamics represents a promising alternative for NH 3 production, provided that NO x – can be supplied from the atmosphere. Here, through leveraging water microdroplet chemistry and dynamic photoelectrode–electrolyte interface engineering, we report a tandem air–NO x – –NH 3 conversion system that integrates catalyst-free N 2 oxidation with pulsed photoelectrochemical NO x − reduction (mNOR-pPNO x R). The system achieves efficient and selective NH 3 production with a yield rate of 24.5 μmol cm −2 h −1 at −0.2 V RHE , which are two to three orders of magnitude higher than conventional photo/electrocatalytic N 2 fixation. This study introduces insights for decentralized, on-demand ammonia production from air and water and broadens horizons of microdroplet chemistry and pulse strategy for sustainable chemical manufacturing.