Sustainable Ammonia Electrosynthesis Coupled With Glycerol Valorization via an Adaptive Tri‐Component Catalyst

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Authors: Christean Nickel, David Leander Troglauer, Chia‐Yu Chang, Tiansheng Bai, Tobias Rios‐Studer, Ingo Lieberwirth, Kevin Sowa, Boris Mashtakov, Bahareh Feizi Mohazzab, Lijie Ci, Deping Li, Xiaohang Lin
+3 more Bing Joe Hwang, Rongji Liu, Dandan Gao
Cited by: 6
References: 71

Abstract

ABSTRACT Electrochemical nitrate reduction represents a promising route for sustainable ammonia (NH 3 ) production, yet its practical deployment is constrained by the limited efficiency of state‐of‐the‐art electrocatalysts and immature system architectures. Here, we report a generalist copper–nickel–tungsten tri‐component tandem electrocatalyst via a sequential microwave‐hydrothermal deposition route. Under pulsed electrolysis conditions, the catalyst delivers a remarkable Faradaic efficiency of 97.1% and a record‐high ammonia yield rate of 43.87 mg h −1 cm −2 . Online differential electrochemical mass spectrometry (DEMS) identifies key intermediates and associated pathways, while density functional theory (DFT) calculations elucidate the cooperative roles of each component: the copper component facilitates nitrate adsorption and deoxygenation, the nickel component promotes water dissociation for steady *H supply, and the tungsten component serves as a dynamic *H reservoir. This synergy efficiently suppresses hydrogen evolution and enhances ammonia selectivity. Furthermore, coupling with glycerol valorization (to formic acid) as the anodic reaction demonstrates the potential for energy‐efficient ammonia electrosynthesis. Collectively, this work offers both design strategies and mechanistic understanding for next‐generation multi‐component tandem electrocatalysts targeting advanced nitrogen‐based chemical synthesis.

Fields of Study & Subjects

Ammonia Synthesis and Nitrogen Reduction CO2 Reduction Techniques and Catalysts Metalloenzymes and iron-sulfur proteins

Publication details

Journal / source
Angewandte Chemie International Edition
Publisher
Wiley
Volume
65
Issue
11
Pages
e22014–e22014
Publication date
1 February 2026
Language
EN