Single atoms and oxide nanoparticles for the electrochemical formation of ammonia and urea

• Grant number: 25/19338-9
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Start date: January 01, 2026
• End date: February 28, 2029
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Chemistry - Physical-Chemistry
• Principal Investigator: Raphael Nagao de Sousa
• Grantee: Kauan Lemos Gomes
• Host Institution: Instituto de Química (IQ). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Company: Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Instituto de Química (IQ)
• Associated research grant: 17/11986-5 - Generation and storage of New Energy: bringing technological development for the country, AP.PCPE

Abstract

The production of ammonia (NH3), essential for fertilizers and various industrial sectors, iscurrently dominated by the Haber-Bosch process, which is responsible for high energyconsumption and accounts for about 1% of global greenhouse gas emissions. In this context,electrochemical routes have emerged as sustainable alternatives, as they integrate the use ofrenewable energy and avoid direct carbon emissions. Among them, the electrochemical nitratereduction to ammonia (NO3RR) stands out, combining greater thermodynamic favorability withenvironmental remediation by converting a pollutant into a high-value product. More recently,the electroreduction of nitrate and CO2 to urea (ENCU) has emerged as an innovative andsustainable route, although with additional selectivity challenges. Single-atom catalysts (SACs)have shown high efficiency in NO3RR due to the dispersion of active sites, while transition metaloxide nanoparticles exhibit high activity. Synergistic strategies that combine SACs andnanoparticles have emerged and demonstrated significant gains in faradaic efficiency and yieldrate, but remain little explored, particularly for ENCU. This project proposes the development ofcatalysts based on iron, cobalt, and nickel SACs anchored with MoO3, Cr2O3, WO3, and TiO2nanoparticles. Initially applied to NO3RR, the most promising materials will then be evaluated inENCU. The project is expected to advance the understanding of tandem catalysis and proposenew efficient and selective catalysts, contributing to clean electrochemical routes aligned with carbon neutrality goals. (AU)