Volume 64, Issue 28 e202503424
Research Article

Manipulation of Hydrogen Transfer Behaviors by RhCu Alloying Enables an All-in-one Sustainable “Furfural-Nitrate” System

Xin Long

Xin Long

Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Energy Electrocatalytic Materials, Guangdong Research Center for Interfacial Engineering of Functional Materials, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Energy Materials Service Safety, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060 China

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Prof. Dr. Bin Zhao

Corresponding Author

Prof. Dr. Bin Zhao

Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Energy Electrocatalytic Materials, Guangdong Research Center for Interfacial Engineering of Functional Materials, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Energy Materials Service Safety, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060 China

E-mails: [email protected]; [email protected]

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Danni Liu

Danni Liu

Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Energy Electrocatalytic Materials, Guangdong Research Center for Interfacial Engineering of Functional Materials, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Energy Materials Service Safety, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060 China

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Guodong Fu

Guodong Fu

Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Energy Electrocatalytic Materials, Guangdong Research Center for Interfacial Engineering of Functional Materials, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Energy Materials Service Safety, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060 China

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Hang Yang

Hang Yang

Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Energy Electrocatalytic Materials, Guangdong Research Center for Interfacial Engineering of Functional Materials, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Energy Materials Service Safety, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060 China

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Dr. Renfei Feng

Dr. Renfei Feng

Canadian Light Source Inc., Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, S7N 0X4 Canada

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Dr. Ning Chen

Dr. Ning Chen

Canadian Light Source Inc., Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, S7N 0X4 Canada

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Hekun Ding

Hekun Ding

Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Energy Electrocatalytic Materials, Guangdong Research Center for Interfacial Engineering of Functional Materials, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Energy Materials Service Safety, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060 China

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Jiayi Wu

Jiayi Wu

Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Energy Electrocatalytic Materials, Guangdong Research Center for Interfacial Engineering of Functional Materials, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Energy Materials Service Safety, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060 China

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Yuanfeng Liao

Yuanfeng Liao

Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Energy Electrocatalytic Materials, Guangdong Research Center for Interfacial Engineering of Functional Materials, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Energy Materials Service Safety, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060 China

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Prof. Dr. Shaoqing Liu

Prof. Dr. Shaoqing Liu

Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Energy Electrocatalytic Materials, Guangdong Research Center for Interfacial Engineering of Functional Materials, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Energy Materials Service Safety, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060 China

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Yu Zhang

Yu Zhang

Instrumental Analysis Center of Shenzhen University (Lihu Campus), Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518055 China

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Prof. Dr. Xian-Zhu Fu

Prof. Dr. Xian-Zhu Fu

Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Energy Electrocatalytic Materials, Guangdong Research Center for Interfacial Engineering of Functional Materials, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Energy Materials Service Safety, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060 China

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Prof. Dr. Jing-Li Luo

Corresponding Author

Prof. Dr. Jing-Li Luo

Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Energy Electrocatalytic Materials, Guangdong Research Center for Interfacial Engineering of Functional Materials, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Energy Materials Service Safety, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060 China

E-mails: [email protected]; [email protected]

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First published: 06 May 2025

Graphical Abstract

We report an all-in-one electrochemical energy system by coupling the rational conversions from nitrogen-oxysalts and biomass-derived-aldehydes (industrial/agricultural wastes). The poor reaction kinetics are efficaciously optimized by RhCu alloy electrocatalyst with dual-directional H*-modulation properties. So, nitrate and furfural can be simultaneously converted into multiple non-mixed valuable products (NH3, H2, etc.) with electricity output.

Abstract

Nitrate and furfural are typical wastes mainly from industrialization and agriculturalization progresses, and their clean conversions are still very challenging for a sustainable future. Nevertheless, scant attention has been devoted to the core issues: the rational integration of two wastes recycling and the targeted manipulation of hydrogen (H*) transfer behaviors to address their sluggish reaction kinetics. Herein, we report an all-in-one electrochemical energy system that is thermodynamically designed by coupling nitrate reduction (NO3RR) and furfural oxidation reactions (FORs) together. Particularly, the poor kinetics for both electrode reactions are efficaciously optimized by the bifunctional electrocatalyst of RhCu alloy nanowires on copper foam (RhCu NW/CF) with highly improved dual-directional H*-modulation performances, thus initializing NO3RR for NH3 synthesis at +0.31 V and driving FOR for H2 harvest at an onset potential lower than 0 V. Eventually, such integrated “Furfural-Nitrate” system can simultaneously effectuate the electricity energy supply (10.76 mW cm−2), wastewater purification, cathodic hydrogen storage (NH3), anodic H2 production, and biomass upgrading. Hence, it provides a promising perspective of “turning waste into treasure” in a rational manner, justifying its all-in-one property in addressing the global challenge of sustainable energy.

Conflict of Interests

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Data Availability Statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

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