A CuCoO/γ-Cu(OH)Cl composite catalyst for efficient neutral nitrate reduction.

The electrocatalytic nitrate reduction reaction (eNORR) is an environmentally friendly process that converts nitrate wastewater into high-value ammonia (NH). However, the multi-step electron and proton transfer in this reaction leads to slow kinetics and competitive reactions, making it challenging to achieve energy-efficient performance. Herein, a CuCoO/γ-Cu(OH)Cl (CCOC) composite has been prepared as an electrocatalyst for the eNORR. The CCOC catalyst demonstrated an outstanding NH yield rate of 10.71 mg h cm and a remarkable faradaic efficiency (FE) of 95.9% in a 0.5 M NaSO neutral solution containing 0.1 M NO, surpassing most reported catalysts under neutral conditions. investigations demonstrated that CuCoO with high-valent Cu and Co significantly enhances HO dissociation and proton production while also promoting the adsorption of NO and *NH intermediates. These properties contribute to the high NH selectivity and activity observed under neutral conditions. This work demonstrates CuCoO/γ-Cu(OH)Cl as a promising candidate for the sustainable and efficient production of NH through the eNORR, offering new insights into efficient nitrate reduction in neutral environments.