Design of material regulatory mechanism for electrocatalytic converting NO/NO₃⁻ to NH₃ progress

Nitric oxide (NO)/nitrate (NO3−) exists as the most hazardous pollutions in air/water that severely impacts human health. Conventional disposing methods are energy-consuming and uneconomic. Moreover, ammonia (NH3) fertilizer resources acquire urgent, eco-friendly, economical strategies can remove NO/NO3− pollution simultaneously convert nitrate species, maintaining nitrogen balance. Electrochemical (N) reduction is attracting more attention, particularly electrocatalytic (ENR) to supply an approach fixed generate ammonia. ENR capable of achieving high NH3 yield Faradaic efficiency (FE), avoiding competitive hydrogen evolution reactions easily overcoming strong N≡N triple bond (941 kJ mol−1). There abundant research studies related for decreasing supplying profitable NH3. In this review, we discuss different regulations crystalline facet engineering, heteroatom doping, heterostructure, surface vacancy single-atom structure, which bring various metal/nonmetal their combined catalysts preferable performance, such reactivity, selectivity, FE, stability. Finally, summarize challenges provide perspectives promote industrial application ENR. Key Points This review focusing on systematically introduce modification regulatory mechanism enhance electrochemical performance NORR/NO3RR, including single atom structure.