Electrochemical synthesis of nitric acid from air and ammonia through waste utilization

Abstract

Commercial nitric acid (HNO3) and ammonia (NH3) are mostly produced through the Ostwald process and the Haber-Bosch process, respectively. However, high energy demand and enormous greenhouse gas accompy these processes. The development of economical and green ways to synthesize HNO3 and NH3 is highly desirable for solving the global energy and environmental crisis. Here, we present two energy-efficient and environmentally friendly strategies to synthesize HNO3 and NH3 at distributed sources, including the electrocatalytic oxidation of N2 in air to HNO3 and the electrocatalytic reduction of residual ${\rm NO_{3}^{-}}$ contamination in water to NH3. The isotope-labeling studies combined with theoretical calculation reveal the reaction path of the two proposed strategies, confirming the origin of the electrochemical products. Importantly, the electrooxidation-generated ${\rm NO_{3}^{-}}$ ions may also serve as reactants for the electroreduction synthesis of NH3 in the future. Our work may open avenues for energy-efficient and green production of HNO3 and NH3 at distributed sources.