Industrial-current Ammonia Synthesis by Polarized Cuprous Cyanamide Coupled to Valorization of Glycerol at 4,000 mA cm.

The electrocatalytic nitrate reduction (NORR) holds significance in both NH synthesis and nitrate contamination remediation. However, achieving industrial-scale current and high stability in membrane electrode assembly (MEA) electrolyzer remains challenging due to inherent high full-cell voltage for sluggish NORR and water oxidation. Here, CuNCN with positive surface electrostatic potential V(r) is applied as highly efficient NORR electrocatalysts to achieve industrial-current and low-voltage stable NH production in MEA electrolyzer with coupled anodic glycerol oxidation.

A Copper-Zinc Cyanamide Solid-Solution Catalyst with Tailored Surface Electrostatic Potentials Promotes Asymmetric N-Intermediate Adsorption in Nitrite Electroreduction.

The electrocatalytic nitrite reduction (NORR) converts nitrogen-containing pollutants to high-value ammonia (NH) under ambient conditions. However, its multiple intermediates and multielectron coupled proton transfer process lead to low activity and NH selectivity for the existing electrocatalysts. Herein, we synthesize a solid-solution copper-zinc cyanamide (CuZnNCN) with localized structure distortion and tailored surface electrostatic potential, allowing for the asymmetric binding of NO.

Engineered Nickel-Iron Nitride Electrocatalyst for Industrial-Scale Seawater Hydrogen Production.

Seawater electrolysis under alkaline conditions is a crucial technology for sustainable hydrogen production. However, achieving the long-term stability of the electrocatalyst remains a significant challenge. In this study, it is demonstrated that surface reconstruction of a transition metal nitride (TMN) can be used to develop a highly stable oxygen evolution reaction (OER) electrocatalyst.

Vertical Cross-Alignments of 2D Semiconductors with Steered Internal Electric Field for Urea Electrooxidation via Balancing Intermediates Adsorption.

Single-component electrocatalysts generally lead to unbalanced adsorption of OH and urea during urea oxidation reaction (UOR), thus obtaining low activity and selectivity especially when oxygen evolution reaction (OER) competes at high potentials (>1.5 V). Herein, a cross-alignment strategy of in situ vertically growing Ni(OH) nanosheets on 2D semiconductor g-CN is reported to form a hetero-structured electrocatalyst.

Synergistic Lewis and Brønsted Acid Sites Promote OH* Formation and Enhance Formate Selectivity: Towards High-efficiency Glycerol Valorization.

As a sustainable valorization route, electrochemical glycerol oxidation reaction (GOR) involves in formation of key OH* and selective adsorption/cleavage of C-C(O) intermediates with multi-step electron transfer, thus suffering from high potential and poor formate selectivity for most non-noble-metal-based electrocatalysts. So, it remains challenging to understand the structure-property relationship as well as construct synergistic sites to realize high-activity and high-selectivity GOR. Herein, we successfully achieve dual-high performance with low potentials and superior formate selectivity for GOR by forming synergistic Lewis and Brønsted acid sites in Ni-alloyed Co-based spinel.

Vertical 3D Nanostructures Boost Efficient Hydrogen Production Coupled with Glycerol Oxidation Under Alkaline Conditions.

Hydrogen production from electrolytic water is an important sustainable technology to realize renewable energy conversion and carbon neutrality. However, it is limited by the high overpotential of oxygen evolution reaction (OER) at the anode. To reduce the operating voltage of electrolyzer, herein thermodynamically favorable glycerol oxidation reaction (GOR) is proposed to replace the OER.

Suppressing Local Dendrite Hotspots via Current Density Redistribution Using a Superlithiophilic Membrane for Stable Lithium Metal Anode.

Li metal anode is considered as one of the most desirable candidates for next-generation battery due to its lowest electrochemical potential and high theoretical capacity. However, undesirable dendrite growth severely exacerbates the interfacial stability, thus damaging battery performance and bringing safety concerns. Here, an efficient strategy is proposed to stabilize Li metal anode by digesting dendrites sprout using a 3D flexible superlithiophilic membrane consisting of poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) and ZnCl composite nanofibers (PZEM) as a protective layer.

Surface Engineering of Cr-Doped Cobalt Molybdate toward High-Performance Hydrogen Evolution.

Replacing commercial noble metal catalysts with earth-abundant metal catalysts for hydrogen production is an important research direction for electrolytic water. Improving the catalytic performance of non-noble metals while maintaining stability is a key challenge for alkaline hydrogen evolution. Herein, we combined alkali etching and surface phosphating to regulate the properties of Cr-doped CoMoO material, forming a surface structure in which amorphous cobalt phosphate and Cr-doped Co(Mo)O coexist.

Hollow MoS/Co nanopillars with boosted Li-ion diffusion rate and long-term cycling stability.

Hollow MoS/Co-0.1 nanopillars were successfully synthesized by sulfurizing CoMoO and subsequent acid etching, which were used as the anode material for lithium ion batteries. The introduction of suitable metal Co into MoS nanopillars effectively accelerates electron/ion transport kinetics, leading to high specific capacity and superior rate capability and cycling stability.