Versatile electrochemical cells based on nitrate reduction reaction

Abstract

The excessive accumulation of nitrate in natural water greatly disturbs the natural nitrogen cycle and endangers human health. Electrocatalytic degradation technology serves as a promising approach to efficiently remove nitrate while also enabling the construction of electrochemical cells for added value output. In this review, we provide an in-depth insight into versatile electrochemical cells based on the nitrate reduction reaction (NtrRR), focusing on the design of advanced electrodes and optimization of cell configurations, including Zn-nitrate batteries, hybrid nitrate fuel cells, hybrid nitrate electrolytic cells, and CN coupling cells. A comprehensive overview of NtrRR fundamentals, along with the design principles of coupled NtrRR cells, is presented. Finally, we analyze the key challenges and future prospects, focusing on practical implementation, mechanistic understanding, electrocatalyst design, and cell configuration optimization, to enhance the understanding of advanced electrochemical cells involving NtrRR.