Ammonia is not only an important raw material for industry and agriculture but also a carbon-free energy carrier with high energy density. Traditional ammonia synthesis relies on the Haber-Bosch process under extreme conditions, leading to substantial energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Electrochemical reduction of nitrate (NO3− reduction reaction [RR]) to ammonia can simultaneously produce valuable ammonia and eliminate nitrate pollution from the environment and has therefore attracted global attention. In this paper, we summarize recent progress in the field of NO3−RR, including the reaction mechanism, electrocatalyst development, reactor designs, and practical applications. New coupling reactions for removing NO3− together with other contaminants are also introduced briefly. Finally, the future prospect of NO3−RR, particularly the critical requirement to enable practical application of the technique, is put forward. This paper provides a timely summary of the research progress and offers important guidance for researchers in the field of environmental remediation and clean energy.

中文翻译：

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硝酸盐电化学还原为氨：从基础理解到实际应用


氨不仅是重要的工农业原料，也是一种高能量密度的无碳能源载体。传统的氨合成依赖于极端条件下的哈伯-博世工艺，导致大量的能源消耗和温室气体排放。硝酸盐电化学还原（NO3−还原反应[RR]）生成氨可以同时产生有价值的氨并消除环境中的硝酸盐污染，因此引起了全球的关注。在本文中，我们总结了NO3−RR领域的最新进展，包括反应机理、电催化剂开发、反应器设计和实际应用。还简要介绍了用于去除 NO3− 和其他污染物的新偶联反应。最后，提出了NO3−RR的未来前景，特别是实现该技术实际应用的关键要求。本文及时总结了研究进展，为环境修复和清洁能源领域的研究人员提供了重要指导。