%0 Journal Article
%T Enhancing Efficiency of Nitrate Reduction to Ammonia by Fe and Co Nanoparticle-Based Bimetallic Electrocatalyst.
%A Kuznetsova I
%A Lebedeva O
%A Kultin D
%A Mashkin M
%A Kalmykov K
%A Kustov L
%J Int J Mol Sci
%V 25
%N 13
%D 2024 Jun 28
%M 39000196
%F 6.208
%R 10.3390/ijms25137089
%X The green and sustainable electrocatalytic conversion of nitrogen-containing compounds to ammonia is currently in high demand in order to replace the eco-unfriendly Haber-Bosch process. Model catalysts for the nitrate reduction reaction were obtained by electrodeposition of metal Co, Fe, and bimetallic Fe/Co nanoparticles from aqueous solutions onto a graphite substrate. The samples were characterized by the following methods: SEM, XRD, XPS, UV-vis spectroscopy, cyclic (and linear) voltammetry, chronoamperometry, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. In addition, the determination of the electrochemically active surface was also performed for all electrocatalysts. The best electrocatalyst was a sample containing Fe-nanoparticles on the layer of Co-nanoparticles, which showed a Faradaic efficiency of 58.2% (E = -0.785 V vs. RHE) at an ammonia yield rate of 14.6 μmol h-1 cm-2 (at ambient condition). An opinion was expressed to elucidate the mechanism of coordinated electrocatalytic action of a bimetallic electrocatalyst. This work can serve primarily as a starting point for future investigations on electrocatalytic conversion reactions to ammonia using model catalysts of the proposed type.