Improved Nitrate-to-Ammonia Electrocatalysis Through Hydrogen Poisoning Effects

Electrochemical conversion from nitrate to ammonia is a key step in sustainable ammonia production. However, it suffers from low productive efficiency or high energy consumption due to a lack of desired electrocatalysts. Here we report nickel cobalt phosphide (NiCoP) catalysts for nitrate-to-ammonia electrocatalysis that display a record-high catalytic current density of -702±7 mA cm, ammonia production rate of 5415±26 mmol g  h and Faraday efficiency of 99.7±0.2 % at -0.3 V vs. RHE, affording the estimated energy consumption as low as 22.7 kWh kg . Theoretical and experimental results reveal that these catalysts benefit from hydrogen poisoning effects, which leave behind catalytically inert adsorbed hydrogen species (H*) at Co-hollow sites and thereupon enable ideally reactive H* at secondary Co-P sites. The dimerization between H* and H* for H evolution is blocked due to the catalytic inertia of H* thereby the H* drives nitrate hydrogenation timely. With these catalysts, the continuous ammonia production is further shown in an electrolyser with a real energy consumption of 18.9 kWh kg .