CoMoS Catalyzes Nearly Exclusive Electrochemical Nitrate Conversion to Ammonia with Enzyme-like Activity.

Electrocatalytic nitrate to ammonia conversion is a key reaction for energy and environmental sustainability. This reaction involves complex multi electron and proton transfer steps, and is impeded by the lack of catalyst for promoting both reactivity and ammonia selectivity. Here, we demonstrate active motifs based on the Chevrel phase CoMoS exhibit an enzyme-like high turnover frequency of ∼95.1 s for nitrate electroreduction to ammonia. We reveal strong synergy of multiple binding sites on this catalyst, such that the ligand effect of Co steers H* toward hydrogenation other than hydrogen evolution, the ensemble effect of Co, and the spatial confinement effect that promote the full hydrogenation of NO to ammonia without N-N coupling. The catalyst exhibits almost exclusive ammonia conversion with a Faradaic efficiency of 97.1% and ammonia yielding rate of 115.5 mmol·g·h in neutral electrolytes. The high activity was also confirmed in electrolytes with dilute nitrate and high chloride concentrations.