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Recent Progress in Electrochemical Synthesis and Conversion of Nitrates in Aqueous Electrolyte

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Abstract

Nitrate, as an important nitrogen source, plays a crucial role in the fields of energy, chemicals, and the environment. Electrocatalytic nitrogen conversion, powered by renewable energy sources, is a viable and promising strategy for the synthesis and conversion of nitrate. In this work, electrocatalytic synthesis and conversion of nitrates associated with five reactions: ammonia oxidation reaction (NH3OR), nitrogen oxidation reaction (N2OR), NO oxidation reaction (NOOR), nitrate reduction reaction (NO3RR), and the electrochemical C-N coupling of CO2 and NO3− (C–N coupling) were reviewed. At present, it is found that most of these reaction processes still suffer from low Faradaic efficiency and product yield. The underlying mechanisms, key steps, and rational catalyst design for these nitrogen electrochemical reactions were summarized. This review aims to provide insights into the fundamentals in the relevant reactions, the development of efficient catalysts, and the advances in the progress of artificial nitrogen cycling processes.

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Fig. 1
Fig. 2

(Copyright 2022, Wiley)

Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5

(Copyright 2021, Wiley). c Schematic diagram of the NO oxidation mediated by the chlorine cycle. d Nitrate and nitrite yield of the NO oxidation mediated by the chlorine cycle [66]. (Copyright 2022, RSC)

Fig. 6
Fig. 7

(Copyright 2019, ACS). b The volcano plot of theoretical activity of NO3RR to NH3 [19]

Fig. 8

(Copyright 2020, ACS). Cu-supported Rh electrocatalysts. c Schematic diagram of the NO3RR process, d reaction coordinate for various intermediates, e current densities and f faradaic efficiency of NO3RR to NH3 [85]. (Copyright 2022, Wiley)

Fig. 9
Fig. 10

(Copyright 2022, ACS). For Fe–Ni diatomic catalyst, c schematic diagram of the formation of *NHCO, and d transition-state energy barrier of first C–N coupling for *NHCO formation [119]

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Acknowledgements

The National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 51938014, 22276215) financially supported this work. The Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities, and the Research Funds of Renmin University of China (No. 22XNKJ28) also supported this work.

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  1. Fanghua Liu and Chizhong Wang have contributed equally to this work.

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  1. School of Environment and Natural Resources, Renmin University of China, Beijing, 100872, China

    Fanghua Liu, Chizhong Wang, Lei Qiu & Huazhen Chang

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Liu, F., Wang, C., Qiu, L. et al. Recent Progress in Electrochemical Synthesis and Conversion of Nitrates in Aqueous Electrolyte. Top Catal (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11244-024-01949-1

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