Trimetallic engineering in MOF-derived catalysts for efficient electrochemical nitrate-to-ammonia conversion
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Electrochemical nitrate reduction offers a sustainable route to produce ammonia while simultaneously remediating nitrate pollution. Here, we report a series of trimetallic catalysts derived from carbonized zeolitic imidazolate frameworks (Czif), incorporating Zn and Cu into a Co-based MOF scaffold. Among them, Czif-Zn3Cu1 (zinc and copper precursors at a molar ratio of Zn:Cu = 3:1) exhibits the highest Faradaic efficiency (>90%) and NH3 yield rate across a broad current density range (100–500 mA cm-2), outperforming both undoped and bimetallic counterparts. Structural characterization reveals the preservation of MOF morphology, with uniformly dispersed Co, Zn, and Cu sites embedded in a porous N-doped carbon matrix. The optimized Zn:Cu ratio enhances intermediate stabilization and suppresses competing hydrogen evolution, supported by a comprehensive set of analyses. Operando flow-cell tests confirm the catalyst’s energy efficiency, nitrate tolerance (10–1000 mM), and long-term durability over 100 hours. DFT calculations confirm that the trimetallic synergy of Czif-Zn3Cu1 lowers the overall energy barrier and underpins its enhanced activity. This work highlights the importance of rational trimetallic design and MOF-derived architectures in achieving high-performance electrocatalysts for selective and scalable nitrate-to-ammonia conversion.
Source: Nano Research
Authors: Jiahao Kang, Xiaohang Cui, Bo Shi, Bing Cui, Menglan Xiao, Mingqin Zhao
Language: English
Subfield: Catalysis
Field: Chemical Engineering
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $5,290
Awards: G2635752563, G7798518024
OpenAlex ID: W4414217202