Electrochemical nitrate reduction (eNO3−RR) to NH3 is a sustainable solution. However, it faces challenges like poor selectivity and competitive hydrogen evolution (HER). We report a novel Ga@FeGa3 catalyst for efficient eNO3−RR. Its unique rough, flaky morphology provides abundant active sites. The optimized electron structure enhanced the nitrogen intermediate binding. The catalyst also shows exceptional hydrophilicity. This aids reactant access, rapid product desorption, and suppresses HER. These effects give Ga@FeGa3 outstanding eNO3−RR performance. It achieves an NH3 Faradaic efficiency of 97.84% at −1.4 V (vs. Ag/AgCl) and a 3.87 mg h−1 cm−2 yield at −1.5 V. It also maintains high selectivity and stability for over 12 h. This work highlights rational intermetallic design. Such design optimizes active sites, electronic structure, and surface wettability. This is crucial for multi-electron transfer reactions. It offers a general strategy for high-performance electrocatalysts.
Guo et al. (Sun,) studied this question.