Self‐Sustaining Dynamic Alkaline Microenvironment‐Mediated Efficient Nitrate Electroreduction to Ammonia on MnFeO x in Neutral Electrolyte

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Authors: Xinmei Jia, Yan Kong, Da Wan, Liyan Liu, Sizhen He, Xiaoping Liu, Hengpan Yang, Qi Hu, Xue Zhang, Chuanxin He
Cited by: 10
References: 74

Abstract

ABSTRACT Electrocatalytic nitrate reduction (NO 3 RR) that utilizing renewable electricity to convert nitrate pollutants in wastewater, represents a promising route for sustainable ammonia synthesis, yet its efficiency in neutral media is severely limited by sluggish kinetics and intense competition from hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Herein, we introduce a “self‐sustaining alkaline local microenvironment” strategy enabled by a MnFe dual‐site oxide that concurrently serves as a structural scaffold and catalytic mediator, in which inactive Fe Oh sites in FeO x are selectively substituted by Mn while active Fe Td sites are retained. Fe sites in 1D MnFeO x activate NO 3 − and dynamically capture OH − to form FeOOH, establishing a localized alkaline microenvironment around the active sites at electrode—electrolyte interface that effectively suppresses HER. Concurrently, Mn sites stabilize the high‐valent Fe species and continuously split interfacial H 2 O into OH − and H*, ensuring the robust persistence of the alkaline microenvironment. The resulting 1D MnFeO x catalyst delivers an NH 3 Faradaic efficiency of 95.9% (12.3 mg h −1 cm −2 ) in neutral media and operates stably for over 20 h without degradation. By advancing local pH regulation from external intervention to intelligent self‐regulation, this work offers a new insight in adaptive electrocatalyst design and regulating the interfacial microenvironment beyond NO 3 RR.

Fields of Study & Subjects

Ammonia Synthesis and Nitrogen Reduction Environmental remediation with nanomaterials Electrocatalysts for Energy Conversion

Publication details

Journal / source
Angewandte Chemie International Edition
Publisher
Wiley
Volume
65
Issue
15
Pages
e4598330–e4598330
Publication date
1 March 2026
Language
EN