Strongly Correlated Electron Systems in Triple Metal Atoms Trigger Atomic‐Level Structure Resonance for Durable and Efficient Ammonia Electrosynthesis
Abstract
ABSTRACT Electrocatalytic nitrate reduction reaction (NO 3 RR) is an important route for achieving both sustainable ammonia synthesis and wastewater treatment. However, the weak electron correlation characteristics between the active sites in traditional catalysts leads to their limited dynamic adaptability, which highly restricts the construction of ammonia synthesis systems that simultaneously possess high selectivity, high yield rate, and high stability. Here, we synthesize a NiCoFeOOH multi‐metallic catalyst with strong electron coupling characteristics by inducing the electron‐spin‐geometric structure transformation via an in situ reconstruction strategy. NiCoFeOOH sustains high Faradaic efficiencies (FEs, 95%–99%) across a broad potential range together with a remarkable yield rate of 52 mg h −1 cm −2 . The catalyst remains stable for up to 324 h at the industrial current density of 1 A cm −2 (FEs ∼ 90%, a record‐breaking yield rate of ∼72 mg h −1 cm −2 ) in a membrane electrode assembly electrolyzer (MEA), ranking it among the most efficient and stable electrocatalysts reported hitherto. Operando/in situ characterizations combined with theoretical calculations show that atomic resonance between triple octahedral structural unit and key intermediate highly mediates the hydrogenation pathway. Based on the quantum spin exchange interaction, the adaptive charge transport channel among multiple atoms accelerates the proton‐coupled electron transfer kinetics and suppress atomic dissolution at ampere‐level current densities.
Article Details
Authors (14)
Xia Zhong
Yaowen Zhang
State Key Laboratory of Inorganic Synthesis and Preparative Chemistry, College of Chemistry
Yuqi Sun
Jingyao Xu
Institute of Physical Chemistry College of Chemistry Jilin University Changchun China
Bryn Merrill
Department of Chemistry and Alexandra Navrotsky Institute for Experimental Thermodynamics Washington State University Pullman USA
Xiyang Wang
Department of Applied Physics
Yuan Zhang
Beining Zheng
State Key Laboratory of Inorganic Synthesis and Preparative Chemistry College of Chemistry Jilin University Changchun China
Zhibin Geng
State Key Laboratory of Inorganic Synthesis and Preparative Chemistry, College of Chemistry
Mei Han
Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Hospital of Dalian Medical University
Xiaofeng Guo
Department of Chemistry, Washington State University
Yiming Niu
Yimin A. Wu
Shouhua Feng
State Key Laboratory of Inorganic Synthesis and Preparative Chemistry College of Chemistry