Fluidic MXene Electrode Functionalized with Iron Single Atoms for Selective Electrocatalytic Nitrate Transformation to Ammonia

Abstract

The growth of renewable energy industries and the ongoing need for fertilizer in agriculture have created a need for sustainable production of ammonia (NH 3 ) using low-cost, environment-friendly techniques. The electrocatalytic nitrate (NO 3 – ) reduction reaction (NO 3 RR) has the potential to improve both the management of environmental nitrogen and the recycling of synthetic nutrients. However, NO 3 RR is frequently hindered by the incomplete NO 3 – conversion, sluggish reaction kinetics, and suppression of the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Inspired by specific local electronic structures that are adjustable for single-atom catalysts, this work presents a nanohybrid electrocatalytic filter with iron single atoms (FeSA) immobilized on MXene. The fabricated FeSA/MXene filter exhibited maximum NH 3 Faradaic efficiency and selectivity (82.9 and 99.2%, respectively) that were higher than those for filters made of Fe nanoparticles anchored on MXene (FeNP/MXene) (69.2 and 81.3%, respectively) and MXene alone (32.8 and 52.4%, respectively), measured at an initial pH of 7 and an applied potential of −1.4 V vs Ag/AgCl. Density functional theory calculations revealed that, compared to the FeNP/MXene filter, the FeSA/MXene filter prevented the competition from the HER and reduced the activation energy of the potential-limiting step (*NO to *NHO) that made the NH 3 synthesis thermodynamically favorable . This work highlights an alternative strategy for achieving a synergistic NO 3 – removal and nutrient recovery with durable catalytic activity and stability.