Enhanced electrochemical nitrate reduction: Geometrically tailored Pd/Cu electrodes for superior nitrogen selectivity


Nguyen T. N., Mariappan K., Ahmad M. S., Tian F., Tung C., Su J. F., ...Daha Fazla

JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMICAL ENGINEERING, cilt.13, sa.5, 2025 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus) identifier identifier

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Cilt numarası: 13 Sayı: 5
  • Basım Tarihi: 2025
  • Doi Numarası: 10.1016/j.jece.2025.117833
  • Dergi Adı: JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, Chemical Abstracts Core, Compendex, INSPEC
  • Kocaeli Üniversitesi Adresli: Hayır

Özet

Electrochemical nitrate reduction (ENR) offers a promising way to remove harmful nitrogen pollutants from wastewater. In this study, we prepared Pd/Cu electrocatalysts by electrodepositing palladium onto copper foam, creating nanoparticles that provide plenty of active sites for nitrate adsorption and improve ENR performance. Electrochemical tests like Cyclic Voltammetry (CV), Linear Sweep Voltammetry (LSV), chronoamperometry (CA), and Ion Chromatography (IC) helped evaluate their activity. The Pd/Cu5 m catalyst showed impressive results, removing 98.83 % of nitrate and maintaining a current density of 1.36 mA/cm2 over 8 h. Remarkably, the conversion of nitrate to nitrogen gas (N2) was highly selective at 98.72 %, meaning almost all nitrate was turned into harmless nitrogen. When combined with an electrodialysis system, the alkali concentration increased significantly, indicating potential for integrated wastewater treatment. Additionally, the Pd/Cu5 m catalyst proved stable over multiple testing cycles. These findings demonstrate that Pd/Cu bimetallic electrocatalysts are effective and durable for selective nitrate removal from wastewater using ENR.