Bimetallic CuCe metal organic framework for efficient electrocatalytic reduction of nitric oxide to ammonia

Electrocatalytic NO reduction reaction (eNORR) is an attractive strategy for both NO pollutant treatment and its conversion into ammonia. Here, we reported the bimetallic face-centered cubic crystals (CuCe-MOFs) formed by the coordination of copper cations and cerium cations with phthalic acid ligands as efficient eNORR catalysts. The Cu9Ce1-MOFs electrode with a Cu: Ce ratio of 9:1 exhibited the excellent eNORR performance in 0.1 M K2SO4 electrolyte, with the highest NH3 yield of 5919.15 μg·h−1·mg−1 at −0.8 V and a Faraday efficiency of 68.67 %. The Zn-NO batteries assembled by Cu9Ce1-MOFs and Zn plates showed a power density of 1.88 mW·cm−2 and a maximum NH3 yield of 3205.82 μg·h−1·mg−1. The density functional theory (DFT) calculation revealed the reaction pathway of *NO → *NOH → *N → *NH → *NH2→ *NH3. •A bimetallic CuCe Metal organic frameworks was prepared and applied for eNORR.•A high NH3 yield of 5919.15 μg·h−1·mg−1 was obtained in H-type cell.•The Zn-NO battery provided NH3 yield of 3205.82 μg·h−1·mg−1 and power density of 1.88 mW·cm−2.