Invited Speaker
Prof. Ching-Lung Chen
Department of Safety, Health and Environmental Engineering, Ming Chi University of Technology, TaiwanSpeech Title: The Nitrate Reduction Toward Dinitrogen over Bimetallic Electrocatalysts
Abstract: The global issue of eutrophication has been exacerbated by the overuse of natural and synthetic fertilizers for irrigation and the discharge of industrial nitrate-containing chemicals into natural water sources. This widespread problem underscores the urgent need for innovative methods to denitrify wastewater using heteroatomic electrocatalysts with specific geometric structures. In this study, we successfully fabricated bimetallic Pd/Cu electrodes with Pd deposition times ranging from 1 to 3 minutes for the purposes of nitrate reduction. Various physicochemical characterization techniques were used to examine the morphology, composition, and structure of the Pd/Cu electrodes. XRD analysis confirmed the formation of a Pd/Cu alloy, while transmission electron microscopy showed a reduced nano size particles with a uniform distribution of Pd on the Cu surface. XPS analysis revealed the redox states of Pd0 and Cu+2, further verifying the alloy formation. Cyclic voltammetry demonstrated that the Pd/Cu bimetallic electrode had significantly better ERN activity than bare Cu, as shown by a prominent nitrate reduction peak. The Pd/Cu electrode, with a 3-minute deposition time, achieved nearly 100% nitrate removal efficiency and an N2 selectivity of 86% at a current density of 0.68 mA/cm².These findings underscore the effectiveness of the electrocatalytic system for water denitrification, providing a promising solution to address the pressing environmental challenge of nitrate pollution.