Thermally Codeposited Bimetallic Copper–Cobalt Oxide Electrode for Electrocatalytic Nitrate Reduction to Ammonia

The electrocatalytic reduction of nitrate (NO 3 RR) to ammonia presents a promising avenue for both wastewater treatment and nitrogen cycle restoration while simultaneously producing valuable renewable energy carriers. Despite recent advances, the development of stable and scalable catalysts that can bridge the gap between laboratory demonstrations and practical applications remains challenging. This study reports the synthesis of bimetallic copper–cobalt oxide catalyst supported on nickel sheet (referred to as CuCo 2 O 4 /Ni) via thermal treatment, demonstrating exceptional NO 3 RR performance. The bimetallic CuCo 2 O 4 /Ni catalyst, distinguished by its high surface area (10.94 mF cm −2 ) and abundant active sites, demonstrated superior catalytic activity compared to the monometallic counterparts, cobalt oxide (Co 3 O 4 /Ni), and copper oxide (CuO/Ni), positioning it among recently reported state‐of‐the‐art catalytic materials. The as‐prepared CuCo 2 O 4 /Ni achieved a remarkable ammonia (NH 3 ) yield rate of 2.14 mmol cm 2 h −1 with a Faradaic efficiency (FE) of 98.2% at a low potential of −0.37 V versus reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE) with an excellent 103‐h stability performance (90% retention of FE), demonstrated at high nitrate concentrations (ANSOL), a critical aspect for addressing heavily polluted industrial and wastewater streams. This study establishes a promising synthetic route for stable bimetallic catalysts with superior electrocatalytic activity, potentially advancing the field toward sustainable ammonia production at a large scale.

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Publication Details

Journal
Advanced Energy and Sustainability Research
Published
2026-04-01
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1002/aesr.70176
Primary Topic
Ammonia Synthesis and Nitrogen Reduction
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00

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article

Thermally Codeposited Bimetallic Copper–Cobalt Oxide Electrode for Electrocatalytic Nitrate Reduction to Ammonia

Gerardine G. Botte, Pravin Babar, Francis O Okoye, Alamgir Mojibul Haque et al.
Advanced Energy and Sustainability Research
Ammonia Synthesis and Nitrogen Reduction
article

Thermally Codeposited Bimetallic Copper–Cobalt Oxide Electrode for Electrocatalytic Nitrate Reduction to Ammonia

Gerardine G. Botte, Pravin Babar, Francis O Okoye, Alamgir Mojibul Haque, Maya Glasgow, Christian E. Alvarez‐Pugliese
article en

Abstract

The electrocatalytic reduction of nitrate (NO 3 RR) to ammonia presents a promising avenue for both wastewater treatment and nitrogen cycle restoration while simultaneously producing valuable renewable energy carriers. Despite recent advances, the development of stable and scalable catalysts that can bridge the gap between laboratory demonstrations and practical applications remains challenging. This study reports the synthesis of bimetallic copper–cobalt oxide catalyst supported on nickel sheet (referred to as CuCo 2 O 4 /Ni) via thermal treatment, demonstrating exceptional NO 3 RR performance. The bimetallic CuCo 2 O 4 /Ni catalyst, distinguished by its high surface area (10.94 mF cm −2 ) and abundant active sites, demonstrated superior catalytic activity compared to the monometallic counterparts, cobalt oxide (Co 3 O 4 /Ni), and copper oxide (CuO/Ni), positioning it among recently reported state‐of‐the‐art catalytic materials. The as‐prepared CuCo 2 O 4 /Ni achieved a remarkable ammonia (NH 3 ) yield rate of 2.14 mmol cm 2 h −1 with a Faradaic efficiency (FE) of 98.2% at a low potential of −0.37 V versus reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE) with an excellent 103‐h stability performance (90% retention of FE), demonstrated at high nitrate concentrations (ANSOL), a critical aspect for addressing heavily polluted industrial and wastewater streams. This study establishes a promising synthetic route for stable bimetallic catalysts with superior electrocatalytic activity, potentially advancing the field toward sustainable ammonia production at a large scale.

Advanced Energy and Sustainability ResearchVol. 7(4)
Texas Tech University (US), ECSI Fibrotools (United States) (US)
U.S. Department of Defense
Clean water and sanitation
Openalex Percentile: Top 35%
Ammonia Synthesis and Nitrogen Reduction
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