Efficient Ammonia Synthesis from Nitrate Catalyzed by Au/Cu with Enhanced Adsorption Ability

The traditional method for synthesizing NH3 is the Haber–Bosch process which results in high-fuel consumption and environmental pollution. Therefore, ecofriendly electrochemical synthesis of through nitrate (NO3−) reduction a good choice. Herein, an integral Au/Cu electrode to catalyze NO3− introduced. catalyst exhibits not only highest yield rate (73.4 mg h−1 cm−2) up now but also very high Faradaic efficiency 98.02% at −0.7 V room temperature. It commonly believed that transformation nitrite (NO2−) obstacle generation from reduction. Surprisingly, unlike most other catalysts, better activity than NO2− Based on detailed experimental density functional theory calculations, excellent performance selective lies enhanced adsorption capabilities alkaline environment lower energy barriers reaction.