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Nickel ferrocyanide as a high-performance urea oxidation electrocatalyst

Author

Listed:
  • Shi-Kui Geng

    (Anhui University)

  • Yao Zheng

    (The University of Adelaide)

  • Shan-Qing Li

    (Chizhou University)

  • Hui Su

    (University of Science and Technology)

  • Xu Zhao

    (University of Science and Technology)

  • Jun Hu

    (Anhui University)

  • Hai-Bo Shu

    (Anhui University)

  • Mietek Jaroniec

    (Kent State University)

  • Ping Chen

    (Anhui University)

  • Qing-Hua Liu

    (University of Science and Technology)

  • Shi-Zhang Qiao

    (The University of Adelaide)

Abstract

Urea is often present in waste water but can be used in powering fuel cells and as an alternative oxidation substrate to water in an electrolyser. However, an insufficient mechanistic understanding and the lack of efficient catalysts for the urea oxidation reaction have hampered the development of such applications. Here we demonstrate that a nickel ferrocyanide (Ni2Fe(CN)6) catalyst supported on Ni foam can drive the urea oxidation reaction with a higher activity and better stability than those of conventional Ni-based catalysts. Our experimental and computational data suggest a urea oxidation reaction pathway different from most other Ni-based catalysts that comprise NiOOH derivatives as the catalytically active compound. Ni2Fe(CN)6 appears to be able to directly facilitate a two-stage reaction pathway that involves an intermediate ammonia production (on the Ni site) and its decomposition to N2 (on the Fe site). Owing to the different rate-determining steps with more favourable thermal/kinetic energetics, Ni2Fe(CN)6 achieves a 100 mA cm−2 anodic current density at a potential of 1.35 V (equal to an overpotential of 0.98 V).

Suggested Citation

  • Shi-Kui Geng & Yao Zheng & Shan-Qing Li & Hui Su & Xu Zhao & Jun Hu & Hai-Bo Shu & Mietek Jaroniec & Ping Chen & Qing-Hua Liu & Shi-Zhang Qiao, 2021. "Nickel ferrocyanide as a high-performance urea oxidation electrocatalyst," Nature Energy, Nature, vol. 6(9), pages 904-912, September.
  • Handle: RePEc:nat:natene:v:6:y:2021:i:9:d:10.1038_s41560-021-00899-2
    DOI: 10.1038/s41560-021-00899-2
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Jun Qi & Yadong Du & Qi Yang & Na Jiang & Jiachun Li & Yi Ma & Yangjun Ma & Xin Zhao & Jieshan Qiu, 2023. "Energy-saving and product-oriented hydrogen peroxide electrosynthesis enabled by electrochemistry pairing and product engineering," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-12, December.
    2. Shuoshuo Guo & Yongmeng Wu & Changhong Wang & Ying Gao & Mengyang Li & Bin Zhang & Cuibo Liu, 2022. "Electrocatalytic hydrogenation of quinolines with water over a fluorine-modified cobalt catalyst," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-11, December.
    3. Xiubei Yang & Qizheng An & Xuewen Li & Yubin Fu & Shuai Yang & Minghao Liu & Qing Xu & Gaofeng Zeng, 2024. "Charging modulation of the pyridine nitrogen of covalent organic frameworks for promoting oxygen reduction reaction," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-10, December.
    4. Yuandong Yan & Ruyi Wang & Qian Zheng & Jiaying Zhong & Weichang Hao & Shicheng Yan & Zhigang Zou, 2023. "Nonredox trivalent nickel catalyzing nucleophilic electrooxidation of organics," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-11, December.
    5. Xiaoran Zhang & Xiaorong Zhu & Shuowen Bo & Chen Chen & Mengyi Qiu & Xiaoxiao Wei & Nihan He & Chao Xie & Wei Chen & Jianyun Zheng & Pinsong Chen & San Ping Jiang & Yafei Li & Qinghua Liu & Shuangyin , 2022. "Identifying and tailoring C–N coupling site for efficient urea synthesis over diatomic Fe–Ni catalyst," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-9, December.
    6. Jiachen Li & Yuqiang Ma & Cong Zhang & Chi Zhang & Huijun Ma & Zhaoqi Guo & Ning Liu & Ming Xu & Haixia Ma & Jieshan Qiu, 2023. "Green electrosynthesis of 3,3’-diamino-4,4’-azofurazan energetic materials coupled with energy-efficient hydrogen production over Pt-based catalysts," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-15, December.
    7. Xintong Gao & Xiaowan Bai & Pengtang Wang & Yan Jiao & Kenneth Davey & Yao Zheng & Shi-Zhang Qiao, 2023. "Boosting urea electrooxidation on oxyanion-engineered nickel sites via inhibited water oxidation," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-10, December.

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