The Coupling of Rh‐Ru Dual Sites with Interfacial Oxygen Endows MoSe <sub>2</sub> with Efficient Ammonia Electrosynthesis

Abstract The electrochemical nitritereduction reaction (NO 2 RR) to ammonia (NH 3 ) is an intricate multielectron coupled proton transfer process, involving the adsorption and deoxygenation of NO 2 − to form intermediates (*NO), followed by the protonation of *NO to generate NH 3 . Tandem catalysis is a promising approach for enhancing the NO 2 RR and suppressing side effects; however, it is still challenged by the lack of well‐designed catalysts to drive this catalytic process. Herein, a catalyst is introduced, featuring Rh−Ru atomic‐pair dual sites that couple with interfacial oxygen‐containing species confined within a MoSe 2 lattice (RhRu‐MoSe 2‐x O y ), enabling the unprecedented selective conversion of NO 2 − to NH 3 under a low potential. Systematic experimental and computational studies reveal that the construction of Rh‐Ru sites married with adjacent oxygen‐containing groups can achieve the synchronous dispatch of water activation and hydrogenation of NO 2 . Moreover, the nitrite reduction on RhRu‐MoSe 2‐x O y preferably proceeds via the NHO* pathway (NO*→NHO*), effectively circumventing the high energy barrier associated with the O‐side pathway (NO*→NOH*). Consequently, such a tandem system holds superior performance for robust NH 3 electrosynthesis at a relatively low potential, achieving a high NH 3 Faradaic efficiency of 93.0% at −0.2 V (vs RHE) and an exceptional NH 3 production rate of 9.2725 mmol h −1 mg cat −1 at –0.4 V. Furthermore, the resulting catalysts attain ultra‐low overpotentials in a membrane electrode assembly (MEA) electrolyzer, featuring cell voltages of 2.1 V at current densities of 400 mA cm −2 and stable operation under industrial conditions for 200 min.

Authors

Institutions

Publication Details

Journal
Advanced Functional Materials
Published
2025-10-18
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.202513568
Citations
1
Primary Topic
Ammonia Synthesis and Nitrogen Reduction
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.39
Controls
|||
ALL TIME
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
article

The Coupling of Rh‐Ru Dual Sites with Interfacial Oxygen Endows MoSe 2 with Efficient Ammonia Electrosynthesis

Zijie Yang, Chuanxin He, Qianling Zhang, Lei Zhang et al.
1 citations
Advanced Functional Materials
Ammonia Synthesis and Nitrogen Reduction
0.39
article

The Coupling of Rh‐Ru Dual Sites with Interfacial Oxygen Endows MoSe 2 with Efficient Ammonia Electrosynthesis

Zijie Yang, Chuanxin He, Qianling Zhang, Lei Zhang, Zhaoyan Luo, Yinnan Qian, Xiangzhong Ren, Jiale Li, Lijiao Shi
article en
1 citations

Abstract

Abstract The electrochemical nitritereduction reaction (NO 2 RR) to ammonia (NH 3 ) is an intricate multielectron coupled proton transfer process, involving the adsorption and deoxygenation of NO 2 − to form intermediates (*NO), followed by the protonation of *NO to generate NH 3 . Tandem catalysis is a promising approach for enhancing the NO 2 RR and suppressing side effects; however, it is still challenged by the lack of well‐designed catalysts to drive this catalytic process. Herein, a catalyst is introduced, featuring Rh−Ru atomic‐pair dual sites that couple with interfacial oxygen‐containing species confined within a MoSe 2 lattice (RhRu‐MoSe 2‐x O y ), enabling the unprecedented selective conversion of NO 2 − to NH 3 under a low potential. Systematic experimental and computational studies reveal that the construction of Rh‐Ru sites married with adjacent oxygen‐containing groups can achieve the synchronous dispatch of water activation and hydrogenation of NO 2 . Moreover, the nitrite reduction on RhRu‐MoSe 2‐x O y preferably proceeds via the NHO* pathway (NO*→NHO*), effectively circumventing the high energy barrier associated with the O‐side pathway (NO*→NOH*). Consequently, such a tandem system holds superior performance for robust NH 3 electrosynthesis at a relatively low potential, achieving a high NH 3 Faradaic efficiency of 93.0% at −0.2 V (vs RHE) and an exceptional NH 3 production rate of 9.2725 mmol h −1 mg cat −1 at –0.4 V. Furthermore, the resulting catalysts attain ultra‐low overpotentials in a membrane electrode assembly (MEA) electrolyzer, featuring cell voltages of 2.1 V at current densities of 400 mA cm −2 and stable operation under industrial conditions for 200 min.

Advanced Functional MaterialsVol. 36(3)
Shenzhen University (CN)
Openalex Percentile: Top 38%
Ammonia Synthesis and Nitrogen Reduction
0.39
AI Navigator

Ask Laika to Summarize, Analyze, and Connect papers live on the map.

Summarize Papers & Methodologies

Extract key findings, datasets, and comparative methods across publications.

Benchmark Rankings & Visual Analytics

Rank top research institutions, authors, funders, topics, and journals by Field-Weighted Citation Impact (FWCI) and paper volume with instant charts.

Connect Distant Disciplines

Bridge topological clusters on the map to find hidden collaborative intersections.