Multiple factors influencing high-purity indium electrolytic refining

The effects of various contaminants in the electrolytic refinement of indium were investigated using a glow discharge mass spectrometer(GDMS).The effects of several factors such as the indium ion(In3+)concentration,the sodium chloride(NaCl)concentration,the current density,the gelatin concentration,the pH,and the electrode distance,were examined.Significant variations in impurity levels concerning gelatin concentration were observed.Both the gelatin and In3+concentration were moderately positively correlated with the Pb content.The Sb concentration was associated positively with the NaCl concentration,while the Ti concentration had an adverse correlation with the NaCl concentration.The Bi element content was positively linked to the electrode distance.As the current density increased,Cu,Pb,and Bi impurities initially rose and then eventually declined.Notably,a critical current density of 45 A·m^(-2) was identified in this behavior.

Polydopamine-modified metal-organic frameworks nanoparticles enhance the corrosion resistance and bioactivity of polycaprolactone coating on high-purity magnesium

Biodegradable magnesium(Mg)and its alloys exhibit excellent biocompatibility and mechanical compatibility,demonstrating tremendous potential for applications in orthopedics.However,the rapid degradation rate has limited their clinical application.Polycaprolactone(PCL)is commonly employed as a polymer coating to impede the rapid degradation of Mg.Unfortunately,its long-term anti-corrosion capability and bioactivity are inadequate.To address these issues,polydopamine(PDA)-modified zeolitic imidazolate framework-8(PZIF-8)bioactive nanoparticles are fabricated and incorporated into the PCL coating.The PZIF-8 particles,featuring catechol motifs,can enhance the compactness of the PCL coating,reduce its defects,and possess biomineralization ability,thereby effectively improving its anti-corrosive and bioactive properties.Moreover,the active substances released from the degradation of the PZIF-8 particles such as Zn^(2+)and PDA are beneficial for osteogenesis.The corrosion tests indicate that the corrosion current density of PCL-treated sample decreases by more than one order of magnitude and the amount of H_(2)released decreases from 0.23±0.12 to 0.08±0.08 ml cm^(-2)after doping with the PZIF-8.Furthermore,the improved corrosion resistance and released PDA and Zn^(2+)from the coating can promote osteogenic differentiation by up-regulating the expression of alkaline phosphatase activity,related osteogenic genes,and proteins.In addition,in vivo implantation experiments in rabbit femur defects further offer strong evidence that the doping of PZIF-8 nanoparticles accelerates bone reconstruction of the PCL coating.In summary,this work implies a new strategy to fabricate a PCL-based coating on Mg-based implants by introducing the PZIF-8 particles for orthopedic applications.

Enhanced recovery of high-purity Fe powder from iron-rich electrolytic manganese residue by slurry electrolysis

Iron-rich electrolytic manganese residue(IREMR)is an industrial waste produced during the processing of electrolytic metal manganese,and it contains certain amounts of Fe and Mn resources and other heavy metals.In this study,the slurry electrolysis technique was used to recover high-purity Fe powder from IREMR.The effects of IREMR and H2SO4 mass ratio,current density,reaction temper-ature,and electrolytic time on the leaching and current efficiencies of Fe were studied.According to the results,high-purity Fe powder can be recovered from the cathode plate,and the slurry electrolyte can be recycled.The leaching efficiency,current efficiency,and purity of Fe reached 92.58%,80.65%,and 98.72wt%,respectively,at a 1:2.5 mass ratio of H2SO4 and IREMR,reaction temperature of 60℃,electric current density of 30 mA/cm^(2),and reaction time of 8 h.In addition,vibrating sample magnetometer(VSM)analysis showed that the coercivity of electrolytic iron powder was 54.5 A/m,which reached the advanced magnetic grade of electrical pure-iron powder(DT4A coercivity standard).The slurry electrolytic method provides fundamental support for the industrial application of Fe resource recovery in IRMER.

Artificial neural network-based method for discriminating Compton scattering events in high-purity germaniumγ-ray spectrometer

To detect radioactive substances with low activity levels,an anticoincidence detector and a high-purity germanium(HPGe)detector are typically used simultaneously to suppress Compton scattering background,thereby resulting in an extremely low detection limit and improving the measurement accuracy.However,the complex and expensive hardware required does not facilitate the application or promotion of this method.Thus,a method is proposed in this study to discriminate the digital waveform of pulse signals output using an HPGe detector,whereby Compton scattering background is suppressed and a low minimum detectable activity(MDA)is achieved without using an expensive and complex anticoincidence detector and device.The electric-field-strength and energy-deposition distributions of the detector are simulated to determine the relationship between pulse shape and energy-deposition location,as well as the characteristics of energy-deposition distributions for fulland partial-energy deposition events.This relationship is used to develop a pulse-shape-discrimination algorithm based on an artificial neural network for pulse-feature identification.To accurately determine the relationship between the deposited energy of gamma(γ)rays in the detector and the deposition location,we extract four shape parameters from the pulse signals output by the detector.Machine learning is used to input the four shape parameters into the detector.Subsequently,the pulse signals are identified and classified to discriminate between partial-and full-energy deposition events.Some partial-energy deposition events are removed to suppress Compton scattering.The proposed method effectively decreases the MDA of an HPGeγ-energy dispersive spectrometer.Test results show that the Compton suppression factors for energy spectra obtained from measurements on ^(152)Eu,^(137)Cs,and ^(60)Co radioactive sources are 1.13(344 keV),1.11(662 keV),and 1.08(1332 keV),respectively,and that the corresponding MDAs are 1.4%,5.3%,and 21.6%lower,respectively.

Use of various MgO resources for high-purity Mg metal production through molten salt electrolysis and vacuum distillation

A green and effective electrolytic process was developed to produce high-purity Mg metal using primary and secondary resources containing Mg O as a feedstock. The electrolysis of various Mg O resources was conducted using a Cu cathode in MgF2– LiF – KCl molten salt at 1043 K by applying an average current of 1.44 A for 12.5 h. The electrolysis of calcined North Korean magnesite and seawater Mg O clinker yielded Mg alloys of MgCu2and(Cu) phases with current efficiencies of 89.6–92.4%. The electrolysis of oxidized Mg O-C refractory brick, aged ferronickel slag, and ferronickel slag yielded Mg alloys of MgCu2and(Cu) phases with current efficiencies of 59.3–92.3%. The vacuum distillation of Mg alloys obtained was conducted at 1300 K for 10 h to produce high-purity Mg metal. After vacuum distillation, Mg metal with a purity of above 99.994% was obtained. Therefore, this study demonstrates the feasibility of the production of high-purity Mg metal from various Mg O resources using a novel electrolytic process with a Cu cathode, followed by vacuum distillation.

Integration of morphology and electronic structure modulation on cobalt phosphide nanosheets to boost photocatalytic hydrogen evolution from ammonia borane hydrolysis

The controllable and safe hydrogen storage technologies are widely recognized as the main bottleneck for the accomplishment of sustainable hydrogen energy.Ammonia borane(AB)has regarded as a competitive candidate for chemical hydrogen storage.However,developing efficient yet high-performance catalysts towards hydrogen evolution from AB hydrolysis remains an enormous challenge.Herein,cobalt phosphide nanosheets are synthesized by a facile salt-assisted along with low-temperature phosphidation strategy for simultaneously modulating its morphology and electronic structure,and function as hydrogen evolution photocatalysts.Impressively,the Co_(2)P nanosheets display extraordinary performance with a record high turnover frequency of 44.9 min^(-1),outperforming most of the noble-metal-free catalysts reported to date.This remarkable performance is attributed to its desired nanosheets structure,featuring with high specific surface area,abundant exposed active sites,and short charge diffusion paths.Our findings provide a novel strategy for regulating metal phosphides with desired phase structure and morphology for energy-related applications and beyond.

Minimizing pest aluminum in magnesium for the production of high-purity titanium

It is practically difficult to find titanium sponges with low and stable aluminum impurities on the market even though it is the precondition to prepare high-purity titanium. Analysis indicates that almost all the aluminum impurities in the titanium sponge are inherited from the magnesium used to reduce titanium tetrachloride. However, it remains elusive for decades why magnesium produced through the silicothermic reduction method contains a high content of aluminum impurities with large fluctuations. By recourse to thermodynamic calculations and comparative experiments, we demonstrate that fluorite, a material used as a catalyst in the silicothermic reduction method to produce magnesium, is the chief culprit for the pest aluminum and propose a mechanism to rationalize the observed phenomena. Our findings indicate that one practical way to produce qualified magnesium for the production of high-purity titanium is to abandon fluorite during the production of magnesium with the silicothermic reduction method.

Production of high-purity Mg metal from dolomite through novel molten salt electrolysis and vacuum distillation

In this study,a novel Mg production process for producing high-purity Mg metal from dolomite was developed.When the electrolysis of calcined dolomite was conducted using Cu cathode and C anode in MgF_(2)–LiF molten salt at 1083–1173 K by applying an average current of 1.42–1.46 A for 9.50–21.0 h,the current efficiency of 66.4–88.6%was obtained.The produced Mg alloys consisted of MgCu_(2)and Cu(Mg)or MgCu_(2)and CuMg_(2)phases,depending on the Mg concentration in the Mg alloy.When the electrolysis of calcined dolomite was conducted in MgF_(2)–LiF–CaF_(2)molten salt at 1083 K,the current efficiency was 40.9–71.4%,owing to undesired reactions such as electroreduction of Ca^(2+)or/and CO_(3)^(2−)ions.Meanwhile,the current efficiency increased from 40.9%to 63.2%by utilizing a Pt anode,because the occurrence of CO_(3)^(2−)ions in the molten salt was prevented.After vacuum distillation of the obtained Mg alloys at 1300 K for 10 h,Mg metal with a purity of 99.9996–99.9998%was produced.Therefore,the feasibility of this novel process for the production of high-purity Mg metal from dolomite was demonstrated.

Enhanced nitrite electroreduction to ammonia via interfacial dual-site adsorption

The nitrite(NO_(2)^(−))to ammonia(NH3)electroreduction reaction(NO_(2)^(−)RR)would be impeded by sluggish proton-coupled electron transfer kinetics and competitive hydrogen evolution reaction(HER).A key to improving the NH_(3) selectivity is to facilitate adsorption and activation of NO_(2)^(−),which is generally undesirable in unitary species.In this work,an efficient NO_(2)^(−)RR catalyst is constructed by cooperating Pd with In2O3,in which NO_(2)^(−)could adsorb on interfacial dual-site through“Pd–N–O–In”linkage,leading to strengthened NO_(2)^(−)adsorption and easier N=O bond cleavage than that on unitary Pd or In2O3.Moreover,the Pd/In_(2)O_(3)composite exhibits moderate H^(*)adsorption,which may facilitate protonation kinetics while inhibiting competitive HER.As a result,it exhibits a fairly high NH_(3)yield rate of 622.76 mmol h^(−1)g^(−1)cat with a Faradaic efficiency(FE)of 95.72%,good selectivity of 91.96%,and cycling stability towards the NO_(2)^(−)RR,surpassing unitary In_(2)O_(3)and Pd/C electrocatalysts.Besides,computed results indicate that NH_(3)production on Pd/In_(2)O_(3)follows the deoxidation to hydrogenation pathway.This work highlights the significance of H^(*)and NO_(2)^(−)adsorption modulation and N=O activation in NO_(2)^(−)RR electrochemistry by creating synergy between a mediocre catalyst with an appropriate cooperator.

A reduced combustion mechanism of ammonia/diesel optimized with multi-objective genetic algorithm

For the deep understanding on combustion of ammonia/diesel,this study develops a reduced mechanism of ammonia/diesel with 227 species and 937 reactions.The sub-mechanism on ammonia/interactions of N-based and C-based species(N—C)/NOx is optimized using the Non-dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm II(NSGA-II)with 200 generations.The optimized mechanism(named as 937b)is validated against combustion characteristics of ammonia/methane(which is used to examine the accuracy of N—C interactions)and ammonia/diesel blends.The ignition delay times(IDTs),the laminar flame speeds and most of key intermediate species during the combustion of ammonia/methane blends can be accurately simulated by 937b under a wide range of conditions.As for ammonia/diesel blends with various diesel energy fractions,reasonable predictions on the IDTs under pressures from 1.0 MPa to5.0 MPa as well as the laminar flame speeds are also achieved by 937b.In particular,with regard to the IDT simulations of ammonia/diesel blends,937b makes progress in both aspects of overall accuracy and computational efficiency,compared to a detailed ammonia/diesel mechanism.Further kinetic analysis reveals that the reaction pathway of ammonia during the combustion of ammonia/diesel blend mainly differs in the tendencies of oxygen additions to NH_2 and NH with different equivalence ratios.

Solar hydrogen production from electrochemical ammonia splitting powered by a single perovskite solar cell

For carbon-free electrochemical fuel formation,the electrochemical cell must be powered by renewable energy.Obtaining solar-powered H_(2) fuel from water typically requires multiple photovoltaic cells and/or junctions to drive the water splitting reaction.Because of the lower thermodynamic requirements to oxidize ammonia compared to water,solar cells with smaller open circuit voltages can provide the required potential for ammonia splitting.In this work,a single perovskite solar cell with an open-circuit potential of 1.08 V is coupled to a 2-electrode electrochemical cell employing hybrid electroanodes functionalized with Ru-based molecular catalysts.The device is active for more than 30 min,producing N_(2) and H_(2) in a 1:2.9 ratio with 89%faradaic efficiency with no external applied bias.This work illustrates that hydrogen production from ammonia can be driven by conventional semiconductors.

Comprehensive kinetic study on ammonia/ethylene counter-flow diffusion flames:influences of diluents

This study aimed to investigate the effects of ammonia addition on ethylene counter-flow diffusion flames with different diluents on the fuel or oxidizer side,using kinetic analyses.A special emphasis was put on assessing the coupled chemical effects of NH_(3) and CO_(2) on C2H4 combustion chemistry.The chemical effects could be evaluated by comparing fictitious inert NH_(3) or CO_(2) with normal active NH_(3) or CO_(2).The results revealed that the addition of NH_(3) decreased the mole fractions and production rates of key soot precursors,such as acetylene,propynyl,and benzene.When CO_(2) was used as the dilution gas,the coupled chemical effects of NH_(3) and CO_(2) were affected by the chemical effects of CO_(2) to varying degrees.With the oxidizer-side CO_(2) addition,the coupled chemical effects of NH_(3) and CO_(2) reduced the mole fractions of H,O,OH radicals,acetylene,propynyl,and benzene,while the effects differed from the fuel-side CO_(2) addition.The coupled chemical effects of NH_(3) and CO_(2) also promoted the formation of aldehyde contaminants,such as acetaldehyde,to some extent,particularly with CO_(2) addition on the oxidizer side.

Exploring nitrogen reduction reaction mechanisms in electrocatalytic ammonia synthesis:A comprehensive review

The electrochemical nitrogen reduction reaction(eNRR)holds significant promise as a sustainable alternative to the conventional large-scale Haber Bosch process,offering a carbon footprint-free approach for ammonia synthesis.While the process is thermodynamically feasible at ambient temperature and pressure,challenges such as the competing hydrogen evolution reaction,low nitrogen solubility in electrolytes,and the activation of inert dinitrogen(N_(2))gas adversely affect the performance of ammonia production.These hurdles result in low Faradaic efficiency and low ammonia production rate,which pose obstacles to the commercialisation of the process.Researchers have been actively designing and proposing various electrocatalysts to address these issues,but challenges still need to be resolved.A key strategy in electrocatalyst design lies in understanding the underlying mechanisms that govern the success or failure of the electrocatalyst in driving the electrochemical reaction.Through mechanistic studies,we gain valuable insights into the factors affecting the reaction,enabling us to propose optimised designs to overcome the barriers.This review aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the various mechanisms involved in eNRR on the electrocatalyst surface.It delves into the various mechanisms such as dissociative,associative,Mars-van Krevelen,lithium-mediated nitrogen reduction and surface hydrogenation mechanisms of nitrogen reduction.By unravelling the intricacies of eNRR mechanisms and exploring promising avenues,we can pave the way for more efficient and commercially viable ammonia synthesis through this sustainable electrochemical process by designing an efficient electrocatalyst.

100 W-class green hydrogen production from ammonia at a dual-layer electrode containing a Pt-Ir catalyst for an alkaline electrolytic process

Ammonia allows storage and transport of hydrogen over long distances and is an attractive potential hydrogen carrier.Electrochemical decomposition has recently been used for the conversion of ammonia to hydrogen and is regarded as a future technology for production of CO_(2)-free pure hydrogen.Herein,a heterostructural Pt-Ir dual-layer electrode is developed and shown to achieve successful long-term operation in an ammonia electrolyzer with an anion exchange membrane(AEM).This electrolyzer consisted of eight membra ne electrode assemblies(MEAs)with a total geometric area of 200 cm~2 on the anode side,which resulted in a hydrogen production rate of 25 L h~(-1).We observed the degradation in MEA performance attributed to changes in the anode catalyst layer during hydrogen production via ammonia electrolysis.Furthermore,we demonstrated the relationship between the ammonia oxidation reaction(AOR)and the oxygen evolution reaction(OER).

Sustainable ammonia synthesis:An in-depth review of non-thermal plasma technologies

Ammonia serves both as a widely used fertilizer and environmentally friendly energy source due to its high energy density,rich hydrogen content,and emissions-free combustion.Additionally,it offers convenient transportation and storage as a hydrogen carrier.The dominant method used for large-scale ammonia production is the Haber-Bosch process,which requires high temperatures and pressures and is energy-intensive.However,non-thermal plasma offers an eco-friendly alternative for ammonia synthesis,gaining significant attention.It enables ammonia production at lower temperatures and pressures using plasma technology.This review provides insights into the catalyst and reactor developments,which are pivotal for promoting ammonia efficiency and addressing existing challenges.At first,the reaction kinetics and mechanisms are introduced to gain a comprehensive understanding of the reaction pathways involved in plasma-assisted ammonia synthesis.Thereafter,the enhancement of ammonia synthesis efficiency is discussed by developing and optimizing plasma reactors and effective catalysts.The effect of other feeding sources,such as water and methane,instead of hydrogen is also presented.Finally,the challenges and possible solutions are outlined to facilitate energy-saving and enhance ammonia efficiency in the future.

Dielectric barrier discharge plasma-assisted catalytic ammonia synthesis:synergistic effect of Ni-MOF-74 catalyst and nanosecond pulsed plasma

Ammonia is one of the most important chemical raw materials in both manufacture and life of human.Traditionally Haber-Bosch method for ammonia synthesis involves high temperature and high pressure conditions,leading to significant energy consumption and environmental pollution.Non-thermal plasma(NTP) is a promising alternative approach to ammonia synthesis at low temperature and atmospheric pressure.In this study,the synergistic effect of nanosecond pulsed dielectric barrier discharge(np-DBD) and Ni-MOF-74 catalyst was investigated in ammonia synthesis by utilizing nitrogen and hydrogen as feedstock.The results demonstrated that the plasma catalytic-synthesis process parameters play a crucial role in the synthesis process of ammonia.The highest ammonia synthesis rate of 5145.16 μmol·g^(-1)·h^(-1)with an energy efficiency of 1.27 g·kWh^(-1)was observed in the presence of the Ni-MOF-74 catalyst,which was3.7 times higher than that without Ni-MOF-74 catalyst.The synergistic effect of Ni-MOF-74catalyst and nanosecond pulsed plasma was explored by in-situ plasma discharge diagnostics.

Comprehensive understanding of the thriving electrocatalytic nitrate/nitrite reduction to ammonia under ambient conditions

Ammonia(NH_(3))is a multifunctional compound that is an important feedstock for the agricultural and pharmaceutical industries and attractive energy storage medium.At present,NH_(3)synthesis is highly dependent on the conventional Haber–Bosch process that operates under harsh conditions,which consumes large quantities of fossil fuels and releases a large amount of carbon dioxide.As an alternative,electrosynthesis is a prospective method for producing NH_(3)under normal temperature and pressure conditions.Although electrocatalytic nitrogen reduction to ammonia has attracted considerable attentions,the low solubility of N_(2)and high N≡N cracking energy render the achievements of high NH_(3) yield rate and Faradaic efficiency difficult.Nitrate and nitrite(NO_(x)^(-))are common N-containing pollutants.Due to their high solubilities and low dissociation energy of N=O,NO_(x)^(-)−are ideal raw materials for NH_(3) production.Therefore,electrocatalytic NO_(x)^(-)−reduction to NH_(3)(eNO_(x)RR)is a prospective strategy to simultaneously realise environmental protection and NH_(3) synthesis.This review offers a comprehensive understanding of the thriving eNO_(x)RR under ambient conditions.At first,the popular theory and mechanism of eNO_(x)RR and a summary of the measurement system and evaluation criteria are introduced.Thereafter,various strategies for developing NO_(x)−reduction catalysts are systematically presented and discussed.Finally,the challenges and possible prospects of electrocatalytic NO_(x)^(-1) reduction are outlined to facilitate energy-saving and environmentally friendly large-scale synthesis of NH_(3) in the future.

Enhancing Green Ammonia Electrosynthesis Through Tuning Sn Vacancies in Sn‑Based MXene/ MAX Hybrids

Renewable energy driven N_(2) electroreduction with air as nitrogen source holds great promise for realizing scalable green ammonia production.However,relevant out-lab research is still in its infancy.Herein,a novel Sn-based MXene/MAX hybrid with abundant Sn vacancies,Sn@Ti_(2)CTX/Ti_(2)SnC–V,was synthesized by controlled etching Sn@Ti_(2)SnC MAX phase and demonstrated as an efficient electrocatalyst for electrocatalytic N2 reduction.Due to the synergistic effect of MXene/MAX heterostructure,the existence of Sn vacancies and the highly dispersed Sn active sites,the obtained Sn@Ti2CTX/Ti_(2)SnC–V exhibits an optimal NH_(3) yield of 28.4μg h^(−1) mg_(cat)^(−1) with an excellent FE of 15.57% at−0.4 V versus reversible hydrogen electrode in 0.1 M Na_(2)SO_(4),as well as an ultra-long durability.Noticeably,this catalyst represents a satisfactory NH3 yield rate of 10.53μg h^(−1) mg^(−1) in the home-made simulation device,where commercial electrochemical photovoltaic cell was employed as power source,air and ultrapure water as feed stock.The as-proposed strategy represents great potential toward ammonia production in terms of financial cost according to the systematic technical economic analysis.This work is of significance for large-scale green ammonia production.

Simulation Study of Diesel Spray Tilt Angle and Ammonia Energy Ratio Effect on Ammonia-Diesel Dual-Fuel Engine Performance

Ammonia-diesel dual fuel(ADDF)engines for transportation applications are an important way to reduce carbon emissions.In order to achieve better combustion of ammonia in diesel engines.A small-bore single-cylinder engine was converted into an ADDF engine with the help of mature computational fluid dynamics(CFD)simulation software to investigate the performance of an engine with a high ammonia energy ratio(AER),and to study the effect of spray tilt angle on ADDF engine.The results showed that the increase in AER reduced nitric oxide(NO)and nitrogen dioxide(NO2)emissions but increased nitrous oxide(N2O)and unburned ammonia emissions.AER in the range of 50%-70%achieved lower greenhouse gases(GHG)emissions than the pure diesel mode.Relative to the pure diesel mode,when the AER was 60%,the indicated thermal efficiency(ITE)was increased by 0.2%and the GHG emissions were decreased by 22.3%,but carbon monoxide(CO)and Hydrocarbon(HC)emissions were increased.Increasing the in-cylinder combustion temperature or high-temperature region range of the ADDF engine could reduce GHG emissions.At an AER of 60%,an increase in the spray tilt angle helped the ammonia combustion in the residual gap to reduce the unburned ammonia emissions.Compared to the pure diesel mode with a spray tilt angle of 75°,an AER of 60%with a spray tilt angle of 77.5°improved the ITE by 1.5%,and reduced theGHGemissions by 25.7%.Adjusting the spray tilt angle of theADDFengine also reducedCOandHCemissions.This is an effective way to improve ADDF engine performance by adjusting the spray tilt angle.

Electrocatalysts with atomic-level site for nitrate reduction to ammonia

Ammonia(NH_(3))is an important raw material for modern agriculture and industry,being widely demanded to sustain the sustainable development of modern society.Currently,the industrial production methods of NH_(3),such as the traditional Haber-Bosch process,have drawbacks including high energy consumption and significant carbon dioxide emissions.In recent years,the electrocatalytic nitrate reduction reaction(NO_(3)RR)powered by intermittent renewable energy sources has gradually become a multidisciplinary research hotspot,as it allows for the efficient synthesis of NH_(3)under mild conditions.In this review,we focus on the research of electrocatalysts with atomic-level site,which have attracted attention due to their extremely high atomic utilization efficiency and unique structural characteristics in the field of NO_(3)RR.Firstly,we introduce the mechanism of nitrate reduction for ammonia synthesis and discuss the in-situ characterization techniques related to the mechanism study.Secondly,we review the progress of the electrocatalysts with atomic-level site for nitrate reduction and explore the structure-activity relationship to guide the rational design of efficient catalysts.Lastly,the conclusions of this review and the challenges and prospective of this promising field are presented.