Open AgRh Hollow Nanocubes With Interfacial Step Matching for Selective Nitrate‐to‐Ammonia Electrosynthesis

ABSTRACT Electrochemical nitrate‐to‐ammonia (NO 3 − to NH 3 ) conversion offers a promising route for NO 3 − removal and distributed NH 3 synthesis. However, its efficiency is constrained by sluggish NO 3 − activation, incomplete hydrogenation, and competing hydrogen evolution. Herein, open AgRh alloy hollow nanocubes (AgRh hNCs) are reconstructed from Ag nanocubes through a chloride‐assisted alloying and etching process. The catalyst possesses a porous, nanograin‐assembled framework with a Rh‐enriched near‐surface region, enhancing both mass transport and interfacial electronic coupling. Consequently, AgRh hNCs achieve up to 98% Faradaic efficiency for NH 3 , an NH 3 yield rate of 10.6 mg h −1 mg cat −1 , and excellent durability in the alkaline nitrate reduction reaction (NO 3 RR). Combined theoretical and experimental studies reveal a tandem‐like interfacial step‐matching mechanism, in which Ag promotes the NO 3 ‐to‐NO 2 step, while Rh‐centered sites drive deep hydrogenation of nitrogen‐containing intermediates to NH 3 . Moreover, AgRh hNCs show high hydrazine oxidation reaction (HzOR) activity, enabling a membrane‐separated NO 3 RR||HzOR electrolyzer with a 1.58 V lower cell voltage than the oxygen evolution reaction‐coupled system at 10 mA cm −2 . This work demonstrates that integrating an open hollow structure with cooperative Ag‐Rh interfacial sites is an effective strategy for selective NO 3 − ‐to‐NH 3 electrosynthesis.

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Publication Details

Journal
Advanced Energy Materials
Published
2026-08-25
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1002/aenm.71507
Primary Topic
Ammonia Synthesis and Nitrogen Reduction
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00

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article

Open AgRh Hollow Nanocubes With Interfacial Step Matching for Selective Nitrate‐to‐Ammonia Electrosynthesis

Xueqing Gao, Shibin Yin, Xi-Kun Zhou, Bin Sun et al.
Advanced Energy Materials
Ammonia Synthesis and Nitrogen Reduction
article

Open AgRh Hollow Nanocubes With Interfacial Step Matching for Selective Nitrate‐to‐Ammonia Electrosynthesis

Xueqing Gao, Shibin Yin, Xi-Kun Zhou, Bin Sun, Xuan Ai, Yu Chen, Zi-Tong Zeng, Zi-Hang Wang, Ming‐Xuan Shi
article en

Abstract

ABSTRACT Electrochemical nitrate‐to‐ammonia (NO 3 − to NH 3 ) conversion offers a promising route for NO 3 − removal and distributed NH 3 synthesis. However, its efficiency is constrained by sluggish NO 3 − activation, incomplete hydrogenation, and competing hydrogen evolution. Herein, open AgRh alloy hollow nanocubes (AgRh hNCs) are reconstructed from Ag nanocubes through a chloride‐assisted alloying and etching process. The catalyst possesses a porous, nanograin‐assembled framework with a Rh‐enriched near‐surface region, enhancing both mass transport and interfacial electronic coupling. Consequently, AgRh hNCs achieve up to 98% Faradaic efficiency for NH 3 , an NH 3 yield rate of 10.6 mg h −1 mg cat −1 , and excellent durability in the alkaline nitrate reduction reaction (NO 3 RR). Combined theoretical and experimental studies reveal a tandem‐like interfacial step‐matching mechanism, in which Ag promotes the NO 3 ‐to‐NO 2 step, while Rh‐centered sites drive deep hydrogenation of nitrogen‐containing intermediates to NH 3 . Moreover, AgRh hNCs show high hydrazine oxidation reaction (HzOR) activity, enabling a membrane‐separated NO 3 RR||HzOR electrolyzer with a 1.58 V lower cell voltage than the oxygen evolution reaction‐coupled system at 10 mA cm −2 . This work demonstrates that integrating an open hollow structure with cooperative Ag‐Rh interfacial sites is an effective strategy for selective NO 3 − ‐to‐NH 3 electrosynthesis.

Advanced Energy Materials
Guangxi University (CN), Hebei University of Science and Technology (CN), Hebei Chemical and Pharmaceutical College (CN), Shaanxi Normal University (CN)
National Natural Science Foundation of China, Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities
Openalex Percentile: Top 29%
Ammonia Synthesis and Nitrogen Reduction
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