@article{Meng2025, 
author = {Zhe Meng and Jian-Hui Yi and Yu-Tian Zhang and Xue-Feng Sun and Xiao-Lei Huang and Miao-Miao Shi and Fei-Fei Zhang and Jun-Min Yan and Qing Jiang},
title = {Intermittent pulsed electrocatalysis adjusting Cu valence states for effective nitrite reduction to ammonia},
year = {2025},
journal = {Nano Research},
volume = {18},
number = {11},
pages = {94907810},
keywords = {ammonia synthesis, electrochemical nitrite reduction, intermittent pulsed electrolysis, stable cuprous oxide, CuxO nanowires},
url = {https://www.sciopen.com/article/10.26599/NR.2025.94907810},
doi = {10.26599/NR.2025.94907810},
abstract = {Electrochemical nitrite (NO2−) reduction offers a sustainable route for ammonia (NH3) synthesis while simultaneously removing contaminants in wastewater. However, its efficiency is often limited by low catalytic efficiency and the competitive hydrogen evolution reaction at low NO2− concentrations. Herein, we report an intermittent pulsed electrolysis (IPE) strategy using copper oxide (CuxO) nanowires, which significantly enhances the NH3 yield rate and Faradaic efficiency (FE) at lower reactant concentrations. In situ experiments and theoretical calculations reveal that alternating between open-circuit and cathodic potentials modulates the copper oxidation states, stabilizing the catalytically active cuprous oxide (Cu2O). Consequently, the IPE approach provides an outstanding NH3 yield rate of 115.10 mg·h−1·cm−2 and FE of 91.14% in the presence of 25 mM NO2−, markedly outperforming conventional constant potential electrolysis.}
}