Reductive Nitrogen Species Activation via Pulsed Electrolysis: Recent Advances and Future Prospects

K Kiarash Torabi (Department of Chemistry Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz Duesbergweg 10–14 Mainz 55128 Germany) R Rongji Liu (Department of Chemistry Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz Mainz Germany) D David Leander Troglauer (Department of Chemistry Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz Mainz Germany) C Christean Nickel (Department of Chemistry Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz Mainz Germany) G Guillermo Corea (Department of Chemistry Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz Duesbergweg 10–14 Mainz 55128 Germany) T Tiansheng Bai (State Key Laboratory of Advanced Welding and Joining School of Materials Science and Engineering Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen) Shenzhen People's Republic of China) D Deping Li (State Key Laboratory of Advanced Welding and Joining School of Materials Science and Engineering Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen) Shenzhen People's Republic of China) L Lijie Ci (State Key Laboratory of Advanced Welding and Joining School of Materials Science and Engineering Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen) Shenzhen People's Republic of China) B Bahareh Feizi Mohazzab (Department of Chemistry Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz Mainz Germany) D Dandan Gao

Abstract

Abstract The electrochemical reduction of nitrogen species offers a sustainable route to mitigate environmental nitrogen pollution while enabling the production of value‐added chemicals such as ammonia, hydroxylamine, and C─N coupled organonitrogen compounds. However, the practical implementation of conventional potentiostatic methods is hindered by poor product selectivity and competing hydrogen evolution. Pulsed electrolysis has emerged as a transformative strategy to address these challenges by synchronizing catalyst surface dynamics with local microenvironmental changes and reaction kinetics. This mini‐review highlights recent advances in pulsed electrolysis for nitrogen species reduction, with a particular focus on how dynamic potentials influence electrocatalyst behavior and the surrounding reaction environment. Key mechanistic insights and cutting‐edge research findings are discussed, followed by an outlook on established systems and future directions toward scalable and energy‐efficient nitrogen activation.

Article Details

Volume / Issue Vol. 64, Issue 48
Published November 24, 2025
ISSN 1433-7851
Publisher Wiley

Journal Info

Angewandte Chemie International Edition

Wiley

ISSN: 1433-7851 Physical Sciences

Authors (10)

K

Kiarash Torabi

Department of Chemistry Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz Duesbergweg 10–14 Mainz 55128 Germany

R

Rongji Liu

Department of Chemistry Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz Mainz Germany

D

David Leander Troglauer

Department of Chemistry Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz Mainz Germany

C

Christean Nickel

Department of Chemistry Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz Mainz Germany

G

Guillermo Corea

Department of Chemistry Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz Duesbergweg 10–14 Mainz 55128 Germany

T

Tiansheng Bai

State Key Laboratory of Advanced Welding and Joining School of Materials Science and Engineering Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen) Shenzhen People's Republic of China

D

Deping Li

State Key Laboratory of Advanced Welding and Joining School of Materials Science and Engineering Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen) Shenzhen People's Republic of China

L

Lijie Ci

State Key Laboratory of Advanced Welding and Joining School of Materials Science and Engineering Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen) Shenzhen People's Republic of China

B

Bahareh Feizi Mohazzab

Department of Chemistry Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz Mainz Germany

D

Dandan Gao