Built‐in Electric Field Triggered Interfacial Accumulation Effect for Efficient Nitrate Removal at Ultra‐Low Concentration and Electroreduction to Ammonia. Issue 42 (14th September 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Sun, Wu‐Ji; Ji, Hao‐Qing; Li, Lan‐Xin; Zhang, Hao‐Yu; Wang, Zhen‐Kang; He, Jing‐Hui; Lu, Jian‐Mei
• Is Part Of: Angewandte Chemie international edition. Volume 60:Issue 42(2021)
• Page Start: 22933
• Page End: 22939
• Publication Date: 2021-09-14
• Subjects: ammonia -- built-in electric field -- electroreduction -- MXene -- nitrate; Chemistry -- Periodicals; 540
• DOI: 10.1002/anie.202109785
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1433-7851

Abstract

Abstract: A built‐in electric field in electrocatalyst can significantly accumulate higher concentration of NO3 − ions near electrocatalyst surface region, thus facilitating mass transfer for efficient nitrate removal at ultra‐low concentration and electroreduction reaction (NO3 RR). A model electrocatalyst is created by stacking CuCl (111) and rutile TiO2 (110) layers together, in which a built‐in electric field induced from the electron transfer from TiO2 to CuCl (CuCl_BEF) is successfully formed . This built‐in electric field effectively triggers interfacial accumulation of NO3 − ions around the electrocatalyst. The electric field also raises the energy of key reaction intermediate *NO to lower the energy barrier of the rate determining step. A NH3 product selectivity of 98.6 %, a low NO2 − production of <0.6 %, and mass‐specific ammonia production rate of 64.4 h −1 is achieved, which are all the best among studies reported at 100 mg L −1 of nitrate concentration to date. Abstract : An electrocatalyst is created by stacking CuCl (111) and rutile TiO2 (110) layers together. A built‐in electric field induced from the electron transfer from TiO2 to CuCl (CuCl_BEF) is thus formed, which triggers interfacial accumulation of NO3 − ions around the electrocatalyst. A NH3 product selectivity of 98.6 %, a low NO2 − production of <0.6 %, and mass‐specific ammonia production rate of 64.4 h −1 is achieved.