@article{Yao2025, 
author = {Xiaohui Yao and Wei Li and Dongxu Cui and Man Dong and Guogang Shan and Min Zhang and Xinlong Wang and Zhongmin Su and Chunyi Sun},
title = {Dual-metal sites in MOF synergistic boosting NH3 production under low-nitrate concentration},
year = {2025},
journal = {Nano Research},
volume = {18},
number = {8},
pages = {94907592},
keywords = {metal-organic framework, electrocatalytic NO3− reduction, dual metal sites, synergistic catalytic, low concentrations},
url = {https://www.sciopen.com/article/10.26599/NR.2025.94907592},
doi = {10.26599/NR.2025.94907592},
abstract = {The electrocatalytic conversion of nitrate to ammonia has made significant progress as a promising strategy for removing NO3− and producing NH3. However, there is a lack of an efficient electrocatalyst to achieve highly selective NH3 synthesis under low concentration NO3− conditions. In this study, we design and synthesize a bimetallic copper-containing metal-organic framework (MOF) (CuInL4, L = 4-(4-pyridyl)benzoic acid), named InCu-MOF, which possesses 2-fold interpenetrating structure and high-density catalytic sites. InCu-MOF is the first MOF catalyst applied to NH3 synthesis at low NO3− concentration. Benefiting from the regulation of electronic properties and synergistic catalytic effects of two metal active sites, InCu-MOF exhibits high catalytic activity for the low concentration of NO3− reduction reaction (NO3RR) for the first time. At a potential of −1.0 V (vs. RHE), InCu-MOF achieves NH3 faradaic efficiency (FE) of 82% and yield rate of 892 µg·h−1·mgcat−1, which FE is 2.6-fold and yield rate are 8.1-fold higher than that of In-MOF. The design and synthesis of this interpenetrating bimetallic MOF provides an idea for the construction of an efficient catalyst at low NO3− concentrations.}
}