A Universal Approach for Sustainable Urea Synthesis via Intermediate Assembly at the Electrode/Electrolyte Interface

• DOI: 10.1002/anie.202317087
• Publication Date: 2023-12-07T01:34:02Z
• Authors: Xiaojin Tu; Xiaorong Zhu; Shuowen Bo; Xiaoran Zhang; Ruping Miao; Guobin Wen; Chen Chen; Jing Li; Yangyang Zhou; Qinghua Liu; Dawei Chen; Huaiyu Shao; Dafeng Yan; Yafei Li; Jianfeng Jia; Shuangyin Wang

Abstract Electrocatalytic C−N coupling process is indeed a sustainable alternative for direct urea synthesis and co‐upgrading of carbon dioxide nitrate wastes. However, the main challenge lies in unactivated process. Here, we proposed strategy intermediate assembly with alkali metal cations to activate at electrode/electrolyte interface. Urea activity follows trend Li + <Na <Cs <K . In presence K , world‐record performance was achieved yield rate 212.8±10.6 mmol h −1 g on single‐atom Co supported TiO 2 catalyst −0.80 V versus reversible hydrogen electrode. Theoretical calculations operando synchrotron‐radiation Fourier transform infrared measurements revealed that energy barriers were significantly decreased via mediated assembly. By applying this various catalysts, demonstrate interface universal approach boost synthesis.