Salting-out effect promoting highly efficient ambient ammonia synthesis

Catalysts for C-N coupling in urea electrosynthesis under ambient conditions from carbon dioxide and nitrogenous species

Urea is an indispensable nitrogen-containing organic compound in modern human life. However, the current industrial synthesis of urea involves ammonia, which is produced through the Haber-Bosch process under harsh reaction conditions, causing huge energy consumption and heavy environmental pollution. Electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide (CO2) and nitrogenous species (N2, NOx- and NO) have achieved significant progress, offering a promising approach for the electrochemical C-N coupling to produce urea under ambient conditions. Urea synthesis driven by renewable electricity represents a suitable alternative to the traditional process, contributing to the goal of carbon neutrality and nitrogen cycles. However, challenges such as low yield rate, poor selectivity and unveiled reaction mechanisms still need to be addressed. This review provides a summary of the latest catalysts utilized in urea electrosynthesis, aiming to provide guidance and prospects for the development of high-performance catalysts.

Review on strategies for improving the added value and expanding the scope of CO2 electroreduction products

The electrochemical reduction of CO2 into value-added chemicals has been explored as a promising solution to realize carbon neutrality and inhibit global warming. This involves utilizing the electrochemical CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR) to produce a variety of single-carbon (C1) and multi-carbon (C2+) products. Additionally, the electrolyte solution in the CO2RR system can be enriched with nitrogen sources (such as NO3-, NO2-, N2, or NO) to enable the synthesis of organonitrogen compounds via C-N coupling reactions. However, the electrochemical conversion of CO2 into valuable chemicals still faces challenges in terms of low product yield, poor faradaic efficiency (FE), and unclear understanding of the reaction mechanism. This review summarizes the promising strategies aimed at achieving selective production of diverse carbon-containing products, including CO, formate, hydrocarbons, alcohols, and organonitrogen compounds. These approaches involve the rational design of electrocatalysts and the construction of coupled electrocatalytic reaction systems. Moreover, this review presents the underlying reaction mechanisms, identifies the existing challenges, and highlights the prospects of the electrosynthesis processes. The aim is to offer valuable insights and guidance for future research on the electrocatalytic conversion of CO2 into carbon-containing products of enhanced value-added potential.

Regulating Interfacial Microenvironment in Aqueous Electrolyte via a N2 Filtering Membrane for Efficient Electrochemical Ammonia Synthesis

Electrochemical synthesis of ammonia (NH3) in aqueous electrolyte has long been suffered from poor nitrogen (N2) supply owing to its low solubility and sluggish diffusion kinetics. Therefore, creating a N2 rich microenvironment around catalyst surface may potentially improve the efficiency of nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR). Herein, a delicately designed N2 filtering membrane consisted of polydimethylsiloxane is covered on catalyst surface via superspreading. Because this membrane let the dissolved N2 molecules be accessible to the catalyst but block excess water, the designed N2 rich microenvironment over catalyst leads to an optimized Faradaic efficiency of 39.4% and an NH3 yield rate of 109.2 µg h-1 mg-1, which is superior to those of the most report metal-based catalysts for electrochemical NRR. This study offers alternative strategy for enhancing NRR performance.

Interface Engineering-Modulated Nanoscale Bimetallic CoFe-MIL-88A In-Situ-Grown on 2D V2CTx MXene for Electrocatalytic Nitrogen Reduction

The electrochemical nitrogen reduction reaction (eNRR) provides a sustainable green development route for the nitrogen-neutral cycle. In this work, bimetallic CoFe-MIL-88A with two active sites (Fe, Co) were immobilized on a 2D V2CTx MXene surface by in situ growth method to achieve the purpose of the control interface. A large number of heterostructures are formed between small CoFe-MIL-88A and V2CTx, which regulate the electron transfer between the catalyst interfaces. The adsorption and activation of nitrogen on the active sites were enhanced, and the NRR reaction kinetics was accelerated. CoFe-MIL-88A is tightly arranged on V2CTx, which makes CoFe-MIL-88A/V2CTx have better hydrophobicity and can significantly inhibit the hydrogen evolution reaction. The synergistic effect of multicatalytic active sites and multi-interface structure of CoFe-MIL-88A/V2CTx MXene is propitious to nitrogen efficiently and stably to convert into ammonia under environmental conditions with superior selectivity and good catalytic activity. The NH3 yield rate is 29.47 μg h-1 mgcat-1 at -0.3 V vs RHE, and the Faradaic efficiency (FE) is 28.86% at -0.1 V vs RHE. The catalytic mechanism was verified to conform to the distal pathway. This work will provide a new way to develop an MXene-based electrocatalyst for eNRR.

Concurrent Mechanisms of Hot Electrons and Interfacial Water Molecule Ordering in Plasmon-Enhanced Nitrogen Fixation

The participation of high-energy hot electrons generated from the non-radiative decay of localized surface plasmons is an important mechanism for promoting catalytic processes. Herein, another vital mechanism associated with the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) effect, significantly contributing to the nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR), is found. That is to say, the LSPR-induced strong localized electric fields can weaken the intermolecular hydrogen bonds and regulate the arrangement of water molecules at the solid-liquid interface. The AuCu pentacle nanoparticles with excellent light absorption ability and the capability to generate strong localized electric fields are chosen to demonstrate this effect. The in situ Raman spectra and theoretical calculations are employed to verify the mechanism at the molecular scale in a nitrogen fixation process. Meanwhile, due to the promoted electron transfer at the interface by the well-ordered interfacial water, as well as the participation of high-energy hot electrons, the optimal catalyst exhibits excellent performance with an NH3 yield of 52.09 µg h-1 cm-2 and Faradaic efficiency (FE) of 45.82% at ─0.20 V versus RHE. The results are significant for understanding the LSPR effect in catalysis and provide a new approach for regulating the reaction process.

Design of Single-Atom Catalysts for E lectrocatalytic Nitrogen Fixation

The Electrochemical nitrogen reduction reaction (ENRR) can be used to solve environmental problems as well as energy shortage. However, ENRR still faces the problems of low NH3 yield and low selectivity. The NH3 yield and selectivity in ENRR are affected by multiple factors such as electrolytic cells, electrolytes, and catalysts, etc. Among these catalysts are at the core of ENRR research. Single-atom catalysts (SACs) with intrinsic activity have become an emerging technology for numerous energy regeneration, including ENRR. In particular, regulating the microenvironment of SACs (hydrogen evolution reaction inhibition, carrier engineering, metal-carrier interaction, etc.) can break through the limitation of intrinsic activity of SACs. Therefore, this Review first introduces the basic principles of NRR and outlines the key factors affecting ENRR. Then a comprehensive summary is given of the progress of SACs (precious metals, non-precious metals, non-metallic) and diatomic catalysts (DACs) in ENRR. The impact of SACs microenvironmental regulation on ENRR is highlighted. Finally, further research directions for SACs in ENRR are discussed.

Supervised AI and Deep Neural Networks to Evaluate High-Entropy Alloys as Reduction Catalysts in Aqueous Environments

Competitive surface adsorption energies on catalytic surfaces constitute a fundamental aspect of modeling electrochemical reactions in aqueous environments. The conventional approach to this task relies on applying density functional theory, albeit with computationally intensive demands, particularly when dealing with intricate surfaces. In this study, we present a methodological exposition of quantifying competitive relationships within complex systems. Our methodology leverages quantum-mechanical-guided deep neural networks, deployed in the investigation of quinary high-entropy alloys composed of Mo-Cr-Mn-Fe-Co-Ni-Cu-Zn. These alloys are under examination as prospective electrocatalysts, facilitating the electrochemical synthesis of ammonia in aqueous media. Even in the most favorable scenario for nitrogen fixation identified in this study, at the transition from O and OH coverage to surface hydrogenation, the probability of N2 coverage remains low. This underscores the fact that catalyst optimization alone is insufficient for achieving efficient nitrogen reduction. In particular, these insights illuminate that system consideration with oxygen- and hydrogen-repelling approaches or high-pressure solutions would be necessary for improved nitrogen reduction within an aqueous environment.

Elucidating the Mechanism on the Transition-Metal Ion-Synergetic-Catalyzed Oxidation of SO2 with Implications for Sulfate Formation in Beijing Haze

Currently, atmospheric sulfate aerosols cannot be predicted reliably by numerical models because the pathways and kinetics of sulfate formation are unclear. Here, we systematically investigated the synergetic catalyzing role of transition-metal ions (TMIs, Fe3+/Mn2+) in the oxidation of SO2 by O2 on aerosols using chamber experiments. Our results showed that the synergetic effect of TMIs is critically dependent on aerosol pH due to the solubility of Fe(III) species sensitive to the aqueous phase acidity, which is effective only under pH < 3 conditions. The sulfate formation rate on aerosols is 2 orders of magnitude larger than that in bulk solution and increases significantly on smaller aerosols, suggesting that such a synergetic-catalyzed oxidation occurs on the aerosol surface. The kinetic reaction rate can be described as R = k*[H+]-2.95[Mn(II)][Fe(III)][S(IV)] (pH ≤ 3.0). We found that TMI-synergetic-catalyzed oxidation is the dominant pathway of sulfate formation in Beijing when haze particles are very acidic, while heterogeneous oxidation of SO2 by NO2 is the most important pathway when haze particles are weakly acidic. Our work for the first time clarified the role and kinetics of TMI-synergetic-catalyzed oxidation of SO2 by O2 in haze periods, which can be parameterized into models for future studies of sulfate formation.

Revisit the Role of Salinity in Heterogeneous Catalytic Ozonation: The Trade-Off between Reaction Inhibition and Mass Transfer Enhancement

Heterogeneous catalytic ozonation (HCO) is an effective technology for advanced wastewater treatment, while the influence of coexisting salts remains unclear and controversial. Here, we systematically explored the influence of NaCl salinity on the reaction and mass transfer of HCO through lab experiments, kinetic simulation, and computational fluid dynamics modeling, and proposed that the trade-off between reaction inhibition and mass transfer enhancement would affect the pollutants degradation pattern under varying salinity. The increase of NaCl salinity decreased ozone solubility and accelerated the futile consumption of ozone and hydroxyl radicals (•OH), and the maximum •OH concentration under 50 g/L salinity was only 23% of that without salinity. However, the increase of NaCl salinity also significantly reduced the ozone bubble size and enhanced the interphase and intraliquid mass transfer, with the volumetric mass transfer coefficient being 130% higher than that without salinity. The trade-off between reaction inhibition and mass transfer enhancement shifted under different pH values and aerator pore sizes, and the oxalate degradation pattern would change correspondingly. Besides, the trade-off was also identified for Na2SO4 salinity. These results emphasized the dual influence of salinity and offered a new theoretical perspective on the role of salinity in the HCO process.

Nitrogen Reduction Reaction to Ammonia on Transition Metal Carbide Catalysts

The development of a low-cost, energy-efficient, and environmentally friendly alternative to the currently utilized Haber-Bosch process to produce ammonia is of great importance. Ammonia is an essential chemical used in fertilizers and a promising high-density fuel source. The nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR) has been explored intensively as a potential avenue for ammonia production using water as proton source, but to this day a catalyst capable of producing this chemical at high Faradaic efficiency (FE) and commercial yield and rates has not been reported. Here, we investigate the activity of transition metal carbide (TMC) surfaces in the (100) facets of the rocksalt (RS) structure as potential catalysts for the NRR. In this study, we use density functional theory (DFT) to model reaction pathways, estimate stability, assess kinetic barriers, and compare adsorbate energies to determine the overall performance of each TMC surface. For pristine TMC surfaces (with no defects) we find that none of the studied TMCs possess both exergonic adsorption of nitrogen and the capability to selectively protonate nitrogen to form ammonia in the desired aqueous solution. ZrC, however, is shown to be a potential catalyst if used in a non-aqueous electrolyte. To circumvent the endergonic adsorption of nitrogen onto the surface, a carbon vacancy was introduced. This provides a well-defined high coordination active site on the surface. In the presence of a vacancy VC, NbC, and WC showed efficient nitrogen adsorption, selectivity towards ammonia, and a low overpotential (OP). NbC did, however, display an unfeasible kinetic barrier to nitrogen dissociation for ambient-condition purposes, and thus it is suggested for high tempearture/pressure ammonia synthesis. Both WC and VC in their RS (100) structure are promising materials for experimental investigations in aqueous electrolytes, and ZrC could potentially be interesting for non-aqueous electrolytic systems.

Salinity-mediated water self-purification via bond network distorting of H2O molecules on DRC-surface

High salinity has plagued wastewater treatment for a long time by hindering pollutant removal, thereby becoming a global challenge for water pollution control that is difficult to overcome even with massive energy consumption. Herein, we propose a novel process for rapid salinity-mediated water self-purification in a dual-reaction-centers (DRC) system with cation-π structures. In this process, local hydrogen bond networks of H2O molecules can be distorted through the mediation of salinity, thereby opening the channels for the preferential contact of pollutants on the DRC interface. As the result, the elimination rate of pollutants increased approximately 32-fold at high salinity (100 mM) without any external energy consumption. Our findings provide a novel technology for high-efficiency and low-consumption water self-purification, which is of great significance in environmental remediation and even fine chemical industry.

Nitrogen Electrocatalysis: Electrolyte Engineering Strategies to Boost Faradaic Efficiency

The electrochemical activation of dinitrogen at ambient temperature and pressure for the synthesis of ammonia has drawn increasing attention. The faradaic efficiency (FE) as well as ammonia yield in the electrochemical synthesis is far from reaching the requirement of industrial-scale production. In aqueous electrolytes, the competing electron-consuming hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and poor solubility of nitrogen are the two major bottlenecks. As the electrochemical reduction of nitrogen involves proton-coupled electron transfer reaction, rationally engineered electrolytes are required to boost FE and ammonia yield. In this Review, we comprehensively summarize various electrolyte engineering strategies to boost the FE in aqueous and non-aqueous medium and suggest possible approaches to further improve the performance. In aqueous medium, the performance can be improved by altering the electrolyte pH, transport velocity of protons, and water activity. Other strategies involve the use of hybrid and water-in-salt electrolytes, ionic liquids, and non-aqueous electrolytes. Existing aqueous electrolytes are not ideal for industrial-scale production. Suppression of HER and enhanced nitrogen solubility have been observed with hybrid and non-aqueous electrolytes. The engineered electrolytes are very promising though the electrochemical activation has several challenges. The outcome of lithium-mediated nitrogen reduction reaction with engineered non-aqueous electrolyte is highly encouraging.

Tailoring Monovalent Ion Sieving in Graphene-Oxide Membranes with High Flux by Rationally Intercalating Crown Ethers

Two-dimensional membranes have shown promising potential for ion-selective separation due to their well-defined interlayer channels. However, the typical "trade-off" effect of throughput and selectivity limits their developments. Herein, we report a precise tailoring of monovalent cation sieving technology with enhanced water throughput via the intercalation of graphene-oxide membranes with selective crown ethers. By tuning the lamellar spacing of graphene oxide, a critical interlayer distance (∼11.04 Å) is revealed to maximize water flux (53.4 mol m-2 h-2 bar-1) without sacrificing ion selectivity. As a result, the elaborately enlarged interlayer distance offers improved water permeance. Meanwhile, various specific cations with remarkably high selectivity can be separated in mixed solutions because of the strong chelation with crown ethers. This work opens up a new avenue for high-throughput and precise regulation of ion separations for various application scenarios.

A Bifunctional Catalyst for Green Ammonia Synthesis from Ubiquitous Air and Water

Ammonia (NH3 ) is essential for modern agriculture and industry, and, due to its high hydrogen density and no carbon emission, it is also expected to be the next-generation of "clean" energy carrier. Herein, directly from air and water, a plasma-electrocatalytic reaction system for NH3 production, which combines two steps of plasma-air-to-NOx - and electrochemical NOx - reduction reaction (eNOx RR) with a bifunctional catalyst, is successfully established. Especially, the bifunctional catalyst of CuCo2 O4 /Ni can simultaneously promote plasma-air-to-NOx - and eNOx RR processes. The easy adsorption and activation of O2 by CuCo2 O4 /Ni greatly improve the NOx - production rate at the first step. Further, CuCo2 O4 /Ni can also resolve the overbonding of the key intermediate of * NO, and thus reduce the energy barrier of the second step of eNOx RR. Finally, the "green" NH3 production achieves excellent FENH3 (96.8%) and record-high NH3 yield rate of 145.8 mg h-1  cm-2 with large partial current density (1384.7 mA cm-2 ). Moreover, an enlarged self-made H-type electrolyzer improves the NH3 yield to 3.6 g h-1 , and the obtained NH3 is then rapidly converted to a solid of magnesium ammonium phosphate hexahydrate, which favors the easy storage and transportation of NH3 .

A Nanoconfined Water-Ion Coordination Network for Flexible Energy-Dissipation Devices

Water-ion interaction in a nanoconfined environment that deeply constrains spatial freedoms of local atomistic motion with unconventional coupling mechanisms beyond that in a free, bulk state is essential to spark designs of a broad spectrum of nanofluidic devices with unique properties and functionalities. Here, it is reported that the interaction between ions and water molecules in a hydrophobic nanopore forms a coordination network with an interaction density that is nearly fourfold that of the bulk counterpart. Such strong interaction facilitates the connectivity of the water-ion network and is uncovered by corroborating the formation of ion clusters and the reduction of particle dynamics. A liquid-nanopore energy-dissipation system is designed and demonstrated in both molecular simulations and experiments that the formed coordination network controls the outflow of confined electrolytes along with a pressure reduction, capable of providing flexible protection for personnel and devices and instrumentations against external mechanical impact and attack.

Valence-Engineered Oxidase-Mimicking Nanozyme with Specificity for Aromatic Amine Oxidation and Identification

Oxidase-mimicking nanozymes with specificity for catalyzing oxidation of aromatic amines are of great significance for recognition of aromatic amines but rarely reported. Herein, Cu-A nanozyme (synthesized with Cu²⁺ as a node and adenine as a linker) could specifically catalyze oxidation of o-phenylenediamine (OPD) in Britton-Robinson buffer solution. Such a specific catalytic performance was also corroborated with other aromatic amines, such as p-phenylenediamine (PPD), 1,5-naphthalene diamine (1,5-NDA), 1,8-naphthalene diamine (1,8-NDA), and 2-aminoanthracene (2-AA). Moreover, the presence of salts (1 mM NaNO₂, NaHCO₃, NH₄Cl, KCl, NaCl, NaBr, and NaI) greatly mediated the catalytic activity with the order of NaNO₂ < blank ≈ NaHCO₃ < NH₄Cl ≈ KCl ≈ NaCl < NaBr < NaI, which was due to anions sequentially increasing interfacial Cu⁺ content via anionic redox reaction, while the effect of cations was negligible. With the increased Cu⁺ content, K_m decreased and V_max increased, indicating valence-engineered catalytic activity. Based on high specificity and satisfactory activity, a colorimetric sensor array with NaCl, NaBr, and NaI as sensing channels was constructed to identify five representative aromatic amines (OPD, PPD, 1,5-NDA, 1,8-NDA, and 2-AA) as low as 50 μM, quantitatively analyze single aromatic amine (with OPD and PPD as model analysts), and even identify 20 unknown samples with an accuracy of 100%. In addition, the performance was further validated through accurately recognizing various concentration ratios of binary, ternary, quaternary, and quinary mixtures. Finally, the practical applications were demonstrated by successfully discriminating five aromatic amines in tap, river, sewage, and sea water, providing a simple and feasible assay for large-scale scanning aromatic amine levels in environmental water samples.

Photoelectrochemical N2 -to-NH3 Fixation with High Efficiency and Rates via Optimized Si-Based System at Positive Potential versus Li0/

As a widely used commodity chemical, ammonia is critical for producing nitrogen-containing fertilizers and serving as the promising zero-carbon energy carrier. Photoelectrochemical nitrogen reduction reaction (PEC NRR) can provide a solar-powered green and sustainable route for synthesis of ammonia (NH₃ ). Herein, an optimum PEC system is reported with an Si-based hierarchically-structured PdCu/TiO₂ /Si photocathode and well-thought-out trifluoroethanol as the proton source for lithium-mediated PEC NRR, achieving a record high NH₃ yield of 43.09 µg cm^-2 h^-1 and an excellent faradaic efficiency of 46.15% under 0.12 MPa O₂ and 3.88 MPa N₂ at 0.07 V versus lithium(0/+) redox couple (vs Li^0/+ ). PEC measurements coupled with operando characterization reveal that the PdCu/TiO₂ /Si photocathode under N₂ pressures facilitate the reduction of N₂ to form lithium nitride (Li₃ N), which reacts with active protons to produce NH₃ while releasing the Li⁺ to reinitiate the cycle of the PEC NRR. The Li-mediated PEC NRR process is further enhanced by introducing small amount of O₂ or CO₂ under pressure by accelerating the decomposition of Li₃ N. For the first time, this work provides mechanistic understanding of the lithium-mediated PEC NRR process and opens new avenues for efficient solar-powered green conversion of N₂ -to-NH₃ .

Solvent-in-Gas System for Promoted Photocatalytic Ammonia Synthesis on Porous Framework Materials

Photocatalytic nitrogen reduction reaction (PNRR) is emerging as a sustainable ammonia synthesis approach to meet global carbon neutrality. Porous framework materials with well-designed structures have great opportunities in PNRR; however, they suffer from unsatisfactory activity in the conventional gas-in-solvent system (GIS), owing to the hindrance of nitrogen utilization and strong competing hydrogen evolution caused by overwhelming solvent. In this study, porous framework materials are combined with a novel "solvent-in-gas" system, which can bring their superiority into full play. This system enables photocatalysts to directly operate in a gas-dominated environment with a limited proton source uniformly suspended in it, achieving the accumulation of high-concentrated nitrogen within porous framework while efficiently restricting the solvent-photocatalyst contact. An over eightfold increase in ammonia production rate (1820.7 µmol g^-1 h^-1 ) compared with the conventional GIS and an apparent quantum efficiency as high as ≈0.5% at 400 nm are achieved. This system-level strategy further finds applicability in photocatalytic CO₂ reduction, featuring it as a staple for photosynthetic methodology.

Ammonia Electrosynthesis with a Stable Metal-Free 2D Silicon Phosphide Catalyst

Metal-free 2D phosphorus-based materials are emerging catalysts for ammonia (NH₃ ) production through a sustainable electrochemical nitrogen reduction reaction route under ambient conditions. However, their efficiency and stability remain challenging due to the surface oxidization. Herein, a stable phosphorus-based electrocatalyst, silicon phosphide (SiP), is explored. Density functional theory calculations certify that the N₂ activation can be realized on the zigzag Si sites with a dimeric end-on coordinated mode. Such sites also allow the subsequent protonation process via the alternating associative mechanism. As the proof-of-concept demonstration, both the crystalline and amorphous SiP nanosheets (denoted as C-SiP NSs and A-SiP NSs, respectively) are obtained through ultrasonic exfoliation processes, but only the crystalline one enables effective and stable electrocatalytic nitrogen reduction reaction, in terms of an NH₃ yield rate of 16.12 µg h^-1  mg_cat. ^-1 and a Faradaic efficiency of 22.48% at -0.3 V versus reversible hydrogen electrode. The resistance to oxidization plays the decisive role in guaranteeing the NH₃ electrosynthesis activity for C-SiP NSs. This surface stability endows C-SiP NSs with the capability to serve as appealing electrocatalysts for nitrogen reduction reactions and other promising applications.

Review on Electrocatalytic Coreduction of Carbon Dioxide and Nitrogenous Species for Urea Synthesis

The electrochemical coreduction of carbon dioxide (CO₂) and nitrogenous species (such as NO₃^-, NO₂^-, N₂, and NO) for urea synthesis under ambient conditions provides a promising solution to realize carbon/nitrogen neutrality and mitigate environmental pollution. Although an increasing number of studies have made some breakthroughs in electrochemical urea synthesis, the unsatisfactory Faradaic efficiency, low urea yield rate, and ambiguous C-N coupling reaction mechanisms remain the major obstacles to its large-scale applications. In this review, we present the recent progress on electrochemical urea synthesis based on CO₂ and nitrogenous species in aqueous solutions under ambient conditions, providing useful guidance and discussion on the rational design of metal nanocatalyst, the understanding of the C-N coupling reaction mechanism, and existing challenges and prospects for electrochemical urea synthesis. We hope that this review can stimulate more insights and inspiration toward the development of electrocatalytic urea synthesis technology.

Turning Waste into Wealth: Sustainable Production of High-Value-Added Chemicals from Catalytic Coupling of Carbon Dioxide and Nitrogenous Small Molecules

Carbon neutrality is one of the central topics of not only the scientific community but also the majority of human society. The development of highly efficient carbon dioxide (CO₂) capture and utilization (CCU) techniques is expected to stimulate routes and concepts to go beyond fossil fuels and provide more economic benefits for a carbon-neutral economy. While various single-carbon (C₁) and multi-carbon (C₂₊) products have been selectively produced to date, the scope of CCU can be further expanded to more valuable chemicals beyond simple carbon species by integration of nitrogenous reactants into CO₂ reduction. In this Review, research progress toward sustainable production of high-value-added chemicals (urea, methylamine, ethylamine, formamide, acetamide, and glycine) from catalytic coupling of CO₂ and nitrogenous small molecules (NH₃, N₂, NO₃^-, and NO₂^-) is highlighted. C-N bond formation is a key mechanistic step in N-integrated CO₂ reduction, so we focus on the possible pathways of C-N coupling starting from the CO₂ reduction and nitrogenous small molecules reduction processes as well as the catalytic attributes that enable the C-N coupling. We also propose research directions and prospects in the field, aiming to inspire future investigations and achieve comprehensive improvement of the performance and product scope of C-N coupling systems.

An Electric-Field-Reinforced Hydrophobic Cationic Sieve Lowers the Concentration Threshold of Water-In-Salt Electrolytes

High-concentration water-in-salt (WIS) electrolytes expand the stable electrochemical window of aqueous electrolytes, leading to the advent of high-voltage (above 2 V) aqueous Li-ion batteries (ALIBs). However, the high lithium salt concentration electrolytes of ALIBs result in their high cost and deteriorate kinetic performance. Therefore, it is challenging for ALIBs to explore aqueous electrolytes with appropriate concentration to balance the electrochemical window and kinetic performance as well as the cost. In contrast to maintaining high concentrations of aqueous electrolytes (>20 m), a small number of hydrophobic cations are introduced to a much lower electrolyte concentration (13.8 m), and it is found that, compared with WIS electrolytes, ALIBs with these concentration-lowered electrolytes possess a compatible stable electrochemical window (3.23 V) and achieve better kinetic performance. These findings originate from the added cations, which form an electric-field-reinforced hydrophobic cationic sieve (HCS) that blocks water away from the anode and suppresses the hydrogen evolution reaction. Meanwhile, the lower electrolyte concentration provides significant benefits to ALIBs, including lower cost, better rate capability (lower viscosity of 18 cP and higher ionic conductivity of 22 mS cm^-1 at 25 °C), and improved low-temperature performance (liquidus temperature of -10.18 °C).

Emerging p-Block-Element-Based Electrocatalysts for Sustainable Nitrogen Conversion

Artificial nitrogen conversion reactions, such as the production of ammonia via dinitrogen or nitrate reduction and the synthesis of organonitrogen compounds via C-N coupling, play a pivotal role in the modern life. As alternatives to the traditional industrial processes that are energy- and carbon-emission-intensive, electrocatalytic nitrogen conversion reactions under mild conditions have attracted significant research interests. However, the electrosynthesis process still suffers from low product yield and Faradaic efficiency, which highlight the importance of developing efficient catalysts. In contrast to the transition-metal-based catalysts that have been widely studied, the p-block-element-based catalysts have recently shown promising performance because of their intriguing physiochemical properties and intrinsically poor hydrogen adsorption ability. In this Perspective, we summarize the latest breakthroughs in the development of p-block-element-based electrocatalysts toward nitrogen conversion applications, including ammonia electrosynthesis from N₂ reduction and nitrate reduction and urea electrosynthesis using nitrogen-containing feedstocks and carbon dioxide. The catalyst design strategies and the underlying reaction mechanisms are discussed. Finally, major challenges and opportunities in future research directions are also proposed.

Lewis acid-dominated aqueous electrolyte acting as co-catalyst and overcoming N2 activation issues on catalyst surface

The growing demands for ammonia in agriculture and transportation fuel stimulate researchers to develop sustainable electrochemical methods to synthesize ammonia ambiently, to get past the energy-intensive Haber-Bosch process. However, the conventionally used aqueous electrolytes limit N₂ solubility, leading to insufficient reactant molecules in the vicinity of the catalyst during electrochemical nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR). This hampers the yield and production rate of ammonia, irrespective of how efficient the catalyst is. Herein, we introduce an aqueous electrolyte (NaBF₄), which not only acts as an N₂-carrier in the medium but also works as a full-fledged "co-catalyst" along with our active material MnN₄ to deliver a high yield of NH₃ (328.59 μg h^-1 mg_cat^-1) at 0.0 V versus reversible hydrogen electrode. BF₃-induced charge polarization shifts the metal d-band center of the MnN₄ unit close to the Fermi level, inviting N₂ adsorption facilely. The Lewis acidity of the free BF₃ molecules further propagates their importance in polarizing the N≡N bond of the adsorbed N₂ and its first protonation. This push-pull kind of electronic interaction has been confirmed from the change in d-band center values of the MnN₄ site as well as charge density distribution over our active model units, which turned out to be effective enough to lower the energy barrier of the potential determining steps of NRR. Consequently, a high production rate of NH₃ (2.45 × 10^-9 mol s^-1 cm^-2) was achieved, approaching the industrial scale where the source of NH₃ was thoroughly studied and confirmed to be chiefly from the electrochemical reduction of the purged N₂ gas.

PdFe Single-Atom Alloy Metallene for N2 Electroreduction

Single-atom alloys hold great promise for electrocatalytic nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR), while the comprehensive experimental/theoretical investigations of SAAs for the NRR are still missing. Herein, PdFe₁ single-atom alloy metallene, in which the Fe single atoms are confined on a Pd metallene support, is first developed as an effective and robust NRR electrocatalyst, delivering exceptional NRR performance with an NH₃ yield of 111.9 μg h^-1  mg^-1 , a Faradaic efficiency of 37.8 % at -0.2 V (RHE), as well as a long-term stability for 100 h electrolysis. In-depth mechanistic investigations by theoretical computations and operando X-ray absorption/Raman spectroscopy indentify Pd-coordinated Fe single atoms as active centers to enable efficient N₂ activation via N₂ -to-Fe σ-donation, reduced protonation energy barriers, suppressed hydrogen evolution and excellent thermodynamic stability, thus accounting for the high activity, selectivity and stability of PdFe₁ for the NRR.

Sulfate-Enabled Nitrate Synthesis from Nitrogen Electrooxidation on a Rhodium Electrocatalyst

The electrocatalytic nitrogen oxidation reaction (NOR) to generate nitrate is gaining increasing attention as an alternative approach to the conventional industrial manufacture. But, current progress in NOR is limited by the difficulties in activation and conversion of the strong N≡N bond (941 kJ mol^-1 ). Herein, we designed to utilize sulfate to enhance NOR performance over an Rh electrocatalyst. After the addition of sulfate, the inert Rh nanoparticles exhibited superior NOR performance with a nitrate yield of 168.0 μmol g_cat ^-1  h^-1 . The ¹⁵ N isotope-labeling experiment confirmed the produced nitrate from nitrogen electrooxidation. A series of electrochemical in situ characterizations and theoretical calculation unveiled that sulfate promoted nitrogen adsorption and decreased the reaction energy barrier, and in situ formed sulfate radicals reduced the activation energy of the potential-determining step, thus accelerating NOR.

High-Efficiency N2 Electroreduction Enabled by Se-Vacancy-Rich WSe2-x in Water-in-Salt Electrolytes

Electrocatalytic nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR) is a promising approach for renewable NH₃ production, while developing the NRR electrocatalysis systems with both high activity and selectivity remains a significant challenge. Herein, we combine catalyst and electrolyte engineering to achieve a high-efficiency NRR enabled by a Se-vacancy-rich WSe_2-x catalyst in water-in-salt electrolyte (WISE). Extensive characterizations, theoretical calculations, and in situ X-ray photoelectron/Raman spectroscopy reveal that WISE ensures suppressed H₂ evolution, improved N₂ affinity on the catalyst surface, as well as an enhanced π-back-donation ability of active sites, thereby promoting both activity and selectivity for the NRR. As a result, an excellent faradaic efficiency of 62.5% and NH₃ yield of 181.3 μg h^-1 mg^-1 is achieved with WSe_2-x in 12 m LiClO₄, which is among the highest NRR performances reported to date.

Construction of C–N bonds from small-molecule precursors through heterogeneous electrocatalysis

Energy-intensive thermochemical processes within chemical manufacturing are a major contributor to global CO₂ emissions. With the increasing push for sustainability, the scientific community is striving to develop renewable energy-powered electrochemical technologies in lieu of CO₂-emitting fossil-fuel-driven methods. However, to fully electrify chemical manufacturing, it is imperative to expand the scope of electrosynthetic technologies, particularly through the innovation of reactions involving nitrogen-based reactants. This Review focuses on a rapidly emerging area, namely the formation of C-N bonds through heterogeneous electrocatalysis. The C-N bond motif is found in many fertilizers (such as urea) as well as commodity and fine chemicals (with functional groups such as amines and amides). The ability to generate C-N bonds from reactants such as CO₂, NO₃^- or N₂ would provide sustainable alternatives to the thermochemical routes used at present. We start by examining thermochemical, enzymatic and molecular catalytic systems for C-N bond formation, identifying how concepts from these can be translated to heterogeneous electrocatalysis. Next, we discuss successful heterogeneous electrocatalytic systems and highlight promising research directions. Finally, we discuss the remaining questions and knowledge gaps and thus set the trajectory for future advances in heterogeneous electrocatalytic formation of C-N bonds.

High-Performance-Integrated Stretchable Supercapacitors Based on a Polyurethane Organo/Hydrogel Electrolyte

Stretchable supercapacitors (SSCs) are promising energy storage devices for emerging wearable electronics. However, the low-energy density and poor deformation performance are still a challenge. Herein, an amphiphilic polyurethane-based organo/hydrogel electrolyte (APUGE) with a H₂O/AN-in-salt (H₂O/AN-NaClO₄) is prepared for the first time. The as-prepared APUGE shows a wide voltage window (∼2.3 V), good adhesion, and excellent resilience. In addition, the intrinsically stretchable electrodes are prepared by coating the activated carbon slurry onto the PU/carbon black/MWCNT conductive elastic substrate. Based on the strong interface adhesion of the PU matrix, the as-assembled SSC delivers high-energy density (5.65 mW h cm^-3 when the power density is 0.0256 W cm^-3) and excellent deformation stability with 94.5% capacitance retention after 500 stretching cycles at 100% strain. This fully integrated construction concept is expected to be extended to multisystem stretchable metal ion batteries, stretchable lithium-sulfur batteries, and other stretchable energy storage devices.

Activation of MoS2 Monolayer Electrocatalysts via Reduction and Phase Control in Molten Sodium for Selective Hydrogenation of Nitrogen to Ammonia

Electrochemical nitrogen fixation under ambient conditions is promising for sustainable ammonia production but is hampered by high reaction barrier and strong competition from hydrogen evolution, leading to low specificity and faradaic efficiency with existing catalysts. Here we describe the activation of MoS₂ in molten sodium that leads to simultaneous formation of a sulfur vacancy-rich heterostructured 1T/2H-MoS_x monolayer via reduction and phase transformation. The resultant catalyst exhibits intrinsic activities for electrocatalytic N₂-to-NH₃ conversion, delivering a faradaic efficiency of 20.5% and an average NH₃ rate of 93.2 μg h⁻¹ mg_cat⁻¹. The interfacial heterojunctions with sulfur vacancies function synergistically to increase electron localization for locking up nitrogen and suppressing proton recombination. The 1T phase facilitates H–OH dissociation, with S serving as H-shuttling sites and to stabilize . The subsequently couple with nearby N₂ and NH_x intermediates bound at Mo sites, thus greatly promoting the activity of the catalyst. First-principles calculations revealed that the heterojunction with sulfur vacancies effectively lowered the energy barrier in the potential-determining step for nitrogen reduction, and, in combination with operando spectroscopic analysis, validated the associative electrochemical nitrogen reduction pathway. This work provides new insights on manipulating chalcogenide vacancies and phase junctions for preparing monolayered MoS₂ with unique catalytic properties.

We describe the activation of MoS₂ in molten sodium that leads to the simultaneous formation of a sulfur vacancy-rich heterostructured 1T/2H-MoS_x monolayer electrocatalyst via reduction and phase transformation.