Configurational Entropy and Compositional Effects in Fe‐Based Oxide 2D Sheets for Nitrate Electroreduction

ABSTRACT Entropy engineering offers a promising strategy for constructing multicomponent electrocatalysts, yet its role in nitrate‐to‐ammonia electroreduction remains insufficiently understood. Herein, we design a series of Fe‐based oxide two‐dimensional sheets with low‐, medium‐, and high‐entropy compositions by incorporating Cu, Co, Mn, and Zn into Fe 3 O 4 frameworks. This compositional series enables a comparative evaluation of how elemental combination, oxidation‐state distribution, local electronic environment, and electrochemically accessible interfaces influence nitrate reduction reaction (NO 3 RR) performance. The FeCuCoMnZnO x catalyst delivers an ammonia yield rate of 10.9 mgh −1 mg cat −1 and a Faradaic efficiency of 94% at −0.55 V vs. reversible hydrogen electrode. Integrated experimental and theoretical analyses suggest that the catalytic behaviour is associated with the combined effects of composition‐dependent electronic structure, mixed‐valence metal centres, and heteroatomic bridge‐site configurations. These features are associated with a calculated d‐band centre in a favourable range for balancing NO 3 RR intermediate adsorption and desorption, while selected heteroatomic configurations lower key reaction barriers compared with the corresponding homoatomic sites. Post‐cyclic‐stability characterization further indicates partial surface reduction and oxidation‐state redistribution under NO 3 RR operating conditions. In situ Fourier‐transform infrared and Raman spectroscopy provide potential‐dependent evidence for NO 3 RR‐related surface intermediates on FeCuCoMnZnO x .

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Publication Details

Journal
Advanced Energy Materials
Published
2026-09-29
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1002/aenm.71668
Primary Topic
Ammonia Synthesis and Nitrogen Reduction
Type
article
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article

Configurational Entropy and Compositional Effects in Fe‐Based Oxide 2D Sheets for Nitrate Electroreduction

Soshan Cheong, Xuechen Jing, Lucy Gloag, Richard David Tilley et al.
Advanced Energy Materials
Ammonia Synthesis and Nitrogen Reduction
article

Configurational Entropy and Compositional Effects in Fe‐Based Oxide 2D Sheets for Nitrate Electroreduction

Soshan Cheong, Xuechen Jing, Lucy Gloag, Richard David Tilley, Muhammad Usman, Zongyou Yin, Zhehao Sun, Daniel Macdonald, Zeno Rizqi Ramadhan, Ary Anggara Wibowo, Y Chen, Nicholas Cox, Kaili Liu, Jiayi Chen
article en

Abstract

ABSTRACT Entropy engineering offers a promising strategy for constructing multicomponent electrocatalysts, yet its role in nitrate‐to‐ammonia electroreduction remains insufficiently understood. Herein, we design a series of Fe‐based oxide two‐dimensional sheets with low‐, medium‐, and high‐entropy compositions by incorporating Cu, Co, Mn, and Zn into Fe 3 O 4 frameworks. This compositional series enables a comparative evaluation of how elemental combination, oxidation‐state distribution, local electronic environment, and electrochemically accessible interfaces influence nitrate reduction reaction (NO 3 RR) performance. The FeCuCoMnZnO x catalyst delivers an ammonia yield rate of 10.9 mgh −1 mg cat −1 and a Faradaic efficiency of 94% at −0.55 V vs. reversible hydrogen electrode. Integrated experimental and theoretical analyses suggest that the catalytic behaviour is associated with the combined effects of composition‐dependent electronic structure, mixed‐valence metal centres, and heteroatomic bridge‐site configurations. These features are associated with a calculated d‐band centre in a favourable range for balancing NO 3 RR intermediate adsorption and desorption, while selected heteroatomic configurations lower key reaction barriers compared with the corresponding homoatomic sites. Post‐cyclic‐stability characterization further indicates partial surface reduction and oxidation‐state redistribution under NO 3 RR operating conditions. In situ Fourier‐transform infrared and Raman spectroscopy provide potential‐dependent evidence for NO 3 RR‐related surface intermediates on FeCuCoMnZnO x .

Advanced Energy Materials
Australian National University (AU), UNSW Sydney (AU), Mark Wainwright Analytical Centre (AU)
Openalex Percentile: Top 33%
Ammonia Synthesis and Nitrogen Reduction
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