Quantum Controlled Catalysis: The Role of Spin in the Electrochemical Reduction of Nitrate to Ammonia

High Resolution Image Download MS PowerPoint Slide Transforming reactive nitrogen species into fuels and fertilizers is central to a circular nitrogen economy. Electrochemical nitrate reduction (NO 3 RR) bypasses the high energy demand of the Haber–Bosch process and the challenge of N≡N bond cleavage, while converting nitrate waste into value-added NH 3 . Here, we demonstrate that spin polarization arising from the chiral-induced spin selectivity (CISS) effect markedly enhances NO 3 RR on transition-metal oxide catalysts (CoO x, NiO x, and CuO x ). Among these, the chiral CuO x catalyst exhibits the highest activity, delivering 200 mA cm −2 at −0.378 V vs RHE with an NH 3 yield rate of 14.53 ± 0.3 mg h −1 cm −2 and a Faradaic efficiency of 91.4 ± 2.5%. Computational studies reveal that the chiral catalyst exhibits enhanced NO 3 RR activity compared to its achiral counterpart and suppresses the competing N–N coupling pathways that lead to undesired side products through spin-selective effects.