A five-fold twin structure copper for enhanced electrocatalytic nitrogen reduction to sustainable ammonia

Abstract

Utilizing N₂ from the air and water for the electrocatalytic nitrogen reduction reaction shows promise for NH₃ synthesis under mild conditions. However, the chemical stability of N₂ and the thermodynamic limitations of NH₃ synthesis hinder its effectiveness. Herein, we integrated a specially designed Cu nanowire catalyst with a five-fold twin structure (T-CuNW) into an electrocatalytic system, combining electrocatalytic nitrogen reduction with nonthermal plasma-assisted N₂ activation. This work achieved an NH₃ yield of 45 mg·mg_cat.⁻¹·h⁻¹ and a Faradaic efficiency of over 95% at −0.5 V versus RHE after a 90-h stability test. In situ characterization revealed that the T-CuNW's twin structure plays a crucial role for the generation of a large quantity of H_ads, essential for the hydrogenation of nitrate intermediates, particularly nitrite (NO₂⁻). This enhanced hydrogenation process significantly contributes to the high performance of the ammonia synthesis system.