Issue 15, 2023

Core–shell heterojunction engineering of Co3O4/NiFe LDH nanosheets as bifunctional electrocatalysts for efficient reduction of nitrite to ammonia

Abstract

An electrocatalytic NO2 reduction reaction (NO2RR) has cast new light on renewable NH3 synthesis and treatment of NO2-contaminated aquatic ecosystems. Numerous studies have been devoted to developing NO2RR electrocatalysts with superior selectivity. However, few efforts have focused on constructing bifunctional catalysts promoting the NO2RR and the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) simultaneously, which is significant to reduce the energy consumption and cost of electrocatalytic ammonia production. Herein, we demonstrate the core–shell heterostructures of NiFe LDH nanoarrays attached to Co3O4 nanosheets on Ni foam, which exhibit an excellent NO2RR performance (yield: 4.27 mg h−1 cm−2, FE: 96.53% at −0.5 V) and a remarkable OER performance (η100: 270 mV) as well as decent stability. Furthermore, a two-electrode electrolyzer assembled with Co3O4/NiFe LDH heterostructures only requires 1.55 V to reach 10 mA cm−2, approaching that of the ammonia production system assembled with a noble-metal-based catalyst. The decent NO2RR and OER properties benefit from the optimized electronic structure due to the heterojunction formation and the increased electrochemically active area owing to the core–shell structure construction. This effort offers new insights into achieving high-efficiency and low-cost electrocatalytic ammonia production.

Graphical abstract: Core–shell heterojunction engineering of Co3O4/NiFe LDH nanosheets as bifunctional electrocatalysts for efficient reduction of nitrite to ammonia

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Research Article
Submitted
29 apr 2023
Accepted
16 jun 2023
First published
16 jun 2023

Inorg. Chem. Front., 2023,10, 4510-4518

Core–shell heterojunction engineering of Co3O4/NiFe LDH nanosheets as bifunctional electrocatalysts for efficient reduction of nitrite to ammonia

Y. Feng, J. Ren, H. Wang, L. Wang and Z. Yuan, Inorg. Chem. Front., 2023, 10, 4510 DOI: 10.1039/D3QI00795B

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