Co3O4/CuO/Cu electrodes for nitrate electroreduction

• Grant number: 23/10045-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Support Program for Fixating Young Doctors
• Start date: August 01, 2023
• End date: June 30, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Chemistry - Physical-Chemistry
• Agreement: CNPq
• Principal Investigator: Raphael Nagao de Sousa
• Grantee: Manuel Edgardo Gomez Winkler
• Host Institution: Instituto de Química (IQ). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 23/02841-4 - Co3O4/CuO/Cu electrodes for nitrate electroreduction, AP.R

Abstract

Ammonia (NH3) production is a process of high scientific, technological and commercial interest due to its wide range of applications, such as in fertilizers and fuel. he industrial process, known as Haber-Bosch, consists of the reaction of N2 and H2 gases under high temperature (~500°C) and pressure (200-300 atm) conditions and, due to the high energy demand of the process, it consumes 1-2% of the total energy produced worldwide annually. In this context, electrochemical nitrate reduction emerges as a promising alternative, as the energy required can be supplied in the form of electricity and produced by renewable sources, such as solar and aeolian. Regarding electrocatalysts, cobalt (II, III) and copper (II) oxide, Co3O4 and CuO respectively, have shown promising results, such as high efficiency and selectivity. However, due to the low conductivity, the high overpotential required to achieve such conditions is still a hindrance. Thus, we believe that electrocatalysts of Co3O4 and CuO on metallic copper will present promising results in terms of selectivity for ammonia, high efficiency, and especially low overpotential.

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

MESSIAS, IGOR; WINKLER, MANUEL E. G.; COSTA, GABRIEL F.; MARIANO, THIAGO; SOUZA JUNIOR, JOAO BATISTA; NECKEL, ITAMAR TOMIO; FIGUEIREDO, MARTA C.; SINGH, NIRALA; NAGAO, RAPHAEL. Role of Structural and Compositional Changes of Cu₂O Nanocubes in Nitrate Electroreduction to Ammonia. ACS APPLIED ENERGY MATERIALS, v. 7, n. 19, p. 11-pg., 2024-10-02. (19/18847-6, 21/08868-6, 23/10045-3, 23/02841-4, 22/14169-6, 22/01799-1, 17/11986-5, 21/03321-9)