Single Atom Ru Monolithic Electrode for Efficient Chlorine Evolution and Nitrate Reduction

Fabricating single-atom electrodes via atomic dispersion of active metal atoms into monolithic metal supports is of great significance to advancing the lab-to-fab translation of the electrochemical technologies. Here, we report an inherent oxide anchoring strategy to fasten ligand-free isolated Ru atoms on the amorphous layer of monolithic Ti support by regulating the electronic metal-support interactions. The prepared Ru single atom electrode exhibited exceptional electrochemical chlorine evolution activity, three orders of magnitude higher mass activity than that of commercial dimensionally stable anode, and also selectively reduced nitrate to ammonia with an unprecedented ammonia yield rate of 22.2 mol g(-1) h(-1) at -0.3 V. Furthermore, the Ru single atom monolithic electrode can be scaled up from 2x2 cm to 25x15 cm at least, thus demonstrating great potential for industrial electrocatalytic applications.

Automated summary

By regulating the metal-support interactions, ligand-free isolated Ru atoms were successfully anchored on the amorphous layer of a monolithic Ti support, resulting in the preparation of a Ru single atom electrode. This electrode exhibited exceptional electrochemical performance, with high chlorine evolution activity and selective reduction of nitrate to ammonia. Moreover, the size of the monolithic electrode can be scaled up, indicating its potential for industrial electrocatalytic applications.