Role of oxide support in electrocatalytic nitrate reduction on Cu

The electrochemical nitrate reduction reaction (NO3RR) has the potential for distributed water treatment and renewable chemical synthesis. Cu is an active monometallic electrocatalyst NO3RR in acidic alkaline electrolytes, where activity limited by of adsorbed to nitrite. Oxygen-vacancy forming metal-oxide supports provide sites N-O bond activation thermal reduction, impacting product distribution as well. Here we compare deposited on two (cerium dioxide [Cu/CeO2-δ] fluorine-doped tin [Cu/FTO]) a foil benchmark. Considering phosphate-buffered neutral media, hydrogen compete surface under conditions. less-cathodic overpotential Cu/CeO2-δ compared Cu/FTO attributed stronger adsorption, similar reduction. Utilization CeO2-δ support slightly shifting toward more oxidized products, either enhancing affinity or dynamic process involving formation healing oxygen vacancies (