Pulsed Electrocatalysis Driven Efficient Ammonia Synthesis by Facilitating *NOOH Formation and Balancing *H Supply

Z Zeyu Li (Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences) Z Zichen Shi (MIIT Key Laboratory of Critical Materials Technology for New Energy Conversion and Storage, State Key Laboratory of Space Power‐Sources School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Harbin Institute of Technology Harbin 150001 P.R. China) Y Yinggang Ou (MIIT Key Laboratory of Critical Materials Technology for New Energy Conversion and Storage, State Key Laboratory of Space Power‐Sources School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Harbin Institute of Technology Harbin 150001 P.R. China) L Lixiang Zhong (School of Physics, Beijing Institute of Technology 1 , Beijing, 100081,) C Chunshuang Yan C Chu Zhang (MIIT Key Laboratory of Critical Materials Technology for New Energy Conversion and Storage, State Key Laboratory of Space Power-Sources, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering) K Kai Song (Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, CAS Key Laboratory of Organic Solids, Institute of Chemistry) H Hengjie Liu (National Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Precision and Intelligent Chemistry) D Daobin Liu (State Key Laboratory of Precision and Intelligent Chemistry, Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, School of Chemistry and Materials Science) P Pin Song (Key Laboratory of Functional Molecular Solids, Ministry of Education, Anhui Engineering Research Center of Carbon Neutrality, College of Chemistry and Materials Science) C Chenhui Yin Z Zeming Qi L Li Song C Chade Lv (MIIT Key Laboratory of Critical Materials Technology for New Energy Conversion and Storage, State Key Laboratory of Space Power-Sources, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering)

Abstract

Abstract Electrochemical nitrate reduction emerges as a promising approach for ammonia generation; however, its efficiency is hindered by the sluggish hydrogenation of nitrogen‐containing intermediates and limited active hydrogen supply at constant applied potentials. Driven by the pulsed electrocatalysis, in this work, efficient nitrate‐to‐ammonia conversion is realized by facilitating *NOOH formation and balancing *H supply on a Janus Cu@Co/NC electrocatalyst. In detail, the Cu sites could activate NO 3 − at low overpotentials, while the Co sites could facilitate *NOOH formation with sufficient *H provided by the Co sites at high overpotentials. Promoted by the pulsed electrocatalysis technique, a maximum Faradaic efficiency of 98.32% with NH 3 yield rate of 12.75 mg h −1 mg cat −1 is attained, and the scaled‐up pulsed electrosynthesis at industrial current densities is also achieved. This work underlines the feasibility of pulsed electrolysis for regulating intermediate hydrogenation, offering a promising approach for the synthesis of ammonia or other important chemicals.

Article Details

Volume / Issue Vol. 64, Issue 37
Published September 08, 2025
ISSN 1433-7851
Publisher Wiley

Journal Info

Angewandte Chemie International Edition

Wiley

ISSN: 1433-7851 Physical Sciences

Authors (14)

Z

Zeyu Li

Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences

Z

Zichen Shi

MIIT Key Laboratory of Critical Materials Technology for New Energy Conversion and Storage, State Key Laboratory of Space Power‐Sources School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Harbin Institute of Technology Harbin 150001 P.R. China

Y

Yinggang Ou

MIIT Key Laboratory of Critical Materials Technology for New Energy Conversion and Storage, State Key Laboratory of Space Power‐Sources School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Harbin Institute of Technology Harbin 150001 P.R. China

L

Lixiang Zhong

School of Physics, Beijing Institute of Technology 1 , Beijing, 100081,

C

Chunshuang Yan

C

Chu Zhang

MIIT Key Laboratory of Critical Materials Technology for New Energy Conversion and Storage, State Key Laboratory of Space Power-Sources, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering

K

Kai Song

Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, CAS Key Laboratory of Organic Solids, Institute of Chemistry

H

Hengjie Liu

National Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Precision and Intelligent Chemistry

D

Daobin Liu

State Key Laboratory of Precision and Intelligent Chemistry, Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, School of Chemistry and Materials Science

P

Pin Song

Key Laboratory of Functional Molecular Solids, Ministry of Education, Anhui Engineering Research Center of Carbon Neutrality, College of Chemistry and Materials Science

C

Chenhui Yin

Z

Zeming Qi

L

Li Song

C

Chade Lv

MIIT Key Laboratory of Critical Materials Technology for New Energy Conversion and Storage, State Key Laboratory of Space Power-Sources, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering