Enhanced Nitric Oxide Electroreduction to Ammonia via Modulating Spin‐Polarization of Fe Single‐Atom Catalysts

Abstract Electrochemical nitric oxide reduction (NORR) offers a sustainable pathway to ammonia (NH 3 ) while removing toxic NO from industrial emissions. However, high efficiency is hindered by the difficulty of synchronizing multi‐proton/electron transfers to accelerate NO hydrogenation and suppress competing hydrogen evolution. Here, an Fe single‐atom catalyst (FeSAC) is reported that achieves record NORR activity through spin‐state engineering. Using a top‐down electrospinning approach, self‐supported S,N‐doped carbon fiber films hosting Fe‐N 3 S 1 sites are fabricated. This catalyst delivers an NH 3 yield rate of 140.58 µmol h −1 cm −2 with a Faradaic efficiency of 96.28%, outperforming nearly all reported SACs. Mechanistic analysis reveals that sulfur doping induces a high‐spin Fe 3+ → low‐spin Fe 2+ transition, suppressing spin polarization, strengthening NO adsorption, and facilitating proton supply to accelerate hydrogenation. These results establish spin‐state modulation as a powerful paradigm for designing next‐generation single‐atom catalysts for complex multi‐proton/electron electrocatalytic transformations, such as the electrosynthesis of ammonia.

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Publication Details

Journal
Advanced Functional Materials
Published
2025-11-05
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.202523040
Citations
2
Primary Topic
Ammonia Synthesis and Nitrogen Reduction
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.78
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article

Enhanced Nitric Oxide Electroreduction to Ammonia via Modulating Spin‐Polarization of Fe Single‐Atom Catalysts

Jialing Song, Ming Xie, Zhiyi Wei, Eslam M. Hamed et al.
2 citations
Advanced Functional Materials
Ammonia Synthesis and Nitrogen Reduction
0.78
article

Enhanced Nitric Oxide Electroreduction to Ammonia via Modulating Spin‐Polarization of Fe Single‐Atom Catalysts

Jialing Song, Ming Xie, Zhiyi Wei, Eslam M. Hamed, Dengsong Zhang, Sam Fong Yau Li, Emiliano Cortés, Chunwei Dong, Chenghao Fan, Xiyang Wang, Donglin Han, Haiyan Duan, Zhenlin Wang, Lupeng Han
article en
2 citations

Abstract

Abstract Electrochemical nitric oxide reduction (NORR) offers a sustainable pathway to ammonia (NH 3 ) while removing toxic NO from industrial emissions. However, high efficiency is hindered by the difficulty of synchronizing multi‐proton/electron transfers to accelerate NO hydrogenation and suppress competing hydrogen evolution. Here, an Fe single‐atom catalyst (FeSAC) is reported that achieves record NORR activity through spin‐state engineering. Using a top‐down electrospinning approach, self‐supported S,N‐doped carbon fiber films hosting Fe‐N 3 S 1 sites are fabricated. This catalyst delivers an NH 3 yield rate of 140.58 µmol h −1 cm −2 with a Faradaic efficiency of 96.28%, outperforming nearly all reported SACs. Mechanistic analysis reveals that sulfur doping induces a high‐spin Fe 3+ → low‐spin Fe 2+ transition, suppressing spin polarization, strengthening NO adsorption, and facilitating proton supply to accelerate hydrogenation. These results establish spin‐state modulation as a powerful paradigm for designing next‐generation single‐atom catalysts for complex multi‐proton/electron electrocatalytic transformations, such as the electrosynthesis of ammonia.

Advanced Functional MaterialsVol. 36(24)
Shanghai International Studies University (CN), Hong Kong Polytechnic University (HK), National University of Singapore (SG), Shanghai Advanced Research Institute (CN), University of Bath (GB), Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (DE)
Openalex Percentile: Top 27%
Ammonia Synthesis and Nitrogen Reduction
0.78
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