Abstract

Nitrate (NO3−) Electroreduction to produce NH3 offers an alternative approach to sustainable production of NH3. Yet it remains challenging to simultaneously improve the adsorption and enrichment of low-concentration NO3−. Here, bundles of CuOx microneedles on TiO2 nanotubes (NTs) were developed by a spatial-confined electrodeposition strategy, achieving 87.7 % or 98.4 % NH3 FE at −0.25 V or −0.45 V vs RHE in 2 or 10 mM NO3− electrolytes, respectively. Both in-situ spectroscopy and finite element analysis simulation demonstrated that CuOx microneedle bundles and its interface between TiO2 NTs not only greatly improve the enrichment of low concentration NO3− and its derived-NO2− and the diffusion of NH3 product, but also enhance the adsorption of NO2− and H2O to facilitate the hydrodeoxygenation of NO3− as well as inhibit hydrogen evolution reaction competition. This work will provide a promising avenue to develop electrocatalysts to realize efficient catalytic conversion of reactants at low concentrations.

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