Publication date: 21st July 2025
The Haber–Bosch process has enabled large-scale ammonia synthesis for over a century, sustaining global agriculture but at a significant environmental cost, contributing nearly 2% of global CO2 emissions [1]. As the need for sustainable alternatives grows, the electrochemical nitrate reduction reaction (E-NO3-RR) in aqueous media is gaining traction. This process offers a dual benefit: mitigating nitrate pollution in wastewater [2] while producing ammonia under milder, potentially renewable-powered conditions.
In this work, we investigate the influence of nickel oxide morphology on its electrocatalytic performance towards E-NO3-RR. For that purpose, three distinct preparation routes (precipitation, hydrothermal synthesis, and the reverse micelle method) were employed to generate NiO samples with varying morphologies. These materials were extensively characterized (e.g., via X-ray diffraction) and their electrochemical activity was tested employing an H-type cell with a three-electrode configuration.
NiO was selected as a baseline catalyst due to its reported role in facilitating NH3 desorption and reducing intermediate poisoning when combined with other metals [3,4]. Our study aims to determine whether morphological differences can influence performance in terms of Faradaic efficiency and ammonia yield (μg*h-1*mg-1), laying the groundwork for future development of optimized or doped NiO-based systems.
This project has received funding from the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (grant agreement No. 948769, project title: SuN2rise).
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