A Bio-Inspired Dendritic MoOx Electrocatalyst for Efficient Electrochemical Nitrate Reduction to Ammonia


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Date

2024-10-04

Publication Type

Journal Article

ETH Bibliography

yes

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Abstract

Drawing inspiration from the nitrate reductase enzymes, which catalyze nitrate to nitrite in nature, here a bio-inspired, reduced molybdenum oxide (MoOx) shell is introduced that is grown on top of a dendritic nickel foam core (NiNF). The resulting MoOx/NiNF material is prepared via a facile, two-step electrodeposition strategy using commercially available, low-cost precursors. This catalytic material displays a remarkable faradaic efficiency (FE) of 99% at −0.5 V versus RHE and a high ammonia (NH3) yield rate of up to 4.29 mmol h−1 cm−2 at −1.0 V versus RHE in neutral media. Most importantly, MoOx/NiNF exhibits exceptional stability for the nitrate reduction reaction (NO3RR), maintaining operation for over 3100 h at a high current density of −650 mA cm−2, with a yield rate of 2.6 mmol h−1 cm−2 and a stable average NH3 FE of ≈83%. Through combined XPS and in situ Raman spectroscopy it is shown that the pronounced affinity of MoOx/NiNF for nitrate is associated with a substantial presence of oxygen vacancies within the material.

Publication status

published

Editor

Book title

Volume

14 (37)

Pages / Article No.

2402294

Publisher

Wiley-VCH

Event

Edition / version

Methods

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Date collected

Date created

Subject

bio-inspired; core–shell; electrocatalyst; nitrate reduction; oxygen vacancies; reduced molybdenum oxide

Organisational unit

09654 - Mougel, Victor / Mougel, Victor check_circle

Notes

Funding

853064 - Hybrid Electrocatalysts Inspired by the Nitrogenase Enzyme (EC)
217123 - Bioinspired Hydrophilic Buffer Layer for Electroreduction of Nitrogen Oxides (SNF)

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