{
  "abstract": "Fe-species distribution plays an important role in electrochemical nitrate reduction, yet its influence on the competing hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) remains insufficiently understood. Herein, carbon-supported Fe catalysts with distinct Fe-species distributions were prepared by controlling the Fe precursor concentration. FeAC consists of highly dispersed atomic-scale Fe species and FeOx nanoclusters, whereas Fe2O3/FeAC additionally contains crystalline α-Fe2O3 nanoparticles. X-ray absorption spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and electron microscopy confirm the distinct Fe dispersion states in the two catalysts. Electrochemical measurements reveal that FeAC achieves significantly higher NH3 Faradaic efficiency (79.6 ± 2.2%) than Fe2O3/FeAC (37.8 ± 3.1%) at -0.8 V versus RHE, whereas Fe2O3/FeAC exhibits a higher NH3 production rate accompanied by enhanced HER. Comparable electrochemically accessible surface areas and interfacial charge-transfer characteristics indicate that the observed catalytic differences are not primarily governed by electrochemical surface area or charge-transfer properties. Operando Raman spectroscopy reveals distinct surface reaction environments, while operando ATR-SEIRAS together with EPR measurements indicates enhanced formation of hydrogen-related Fe-H intermediates and hydrogen radicals on Fe2O3/FeAC, consistent with its stronger HER activity. In contrast, the absence of detectable Fe-H species on FeAC is associated with suppressed hydrogen adsorption and improved nitrate reduction selectivity. These results demonstrate that controlling Fe-species distribution provides an effective strategy for balancing activity and selectivity in carbon-supported Fe electrocatalysts for electrochemical nitrate reduction.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Department of Chemistry, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu30013, Taiwan.",
    "National Synchrotron Radiation Research Center , Hsinchu300092, Taiwan."
  ],
  "article_type": "research article",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 8,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Wun-Yan Wu",
      "orcid": "0000-0003-3812-3981"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Cheng-Jhe Tsai"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Chih-Ying Lin"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Serhii Makovetskyi"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Ting-Shan Chan"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Yao-Chang Lee"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Ying-Rui Lu",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-6002-5627"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Wen-Feng Liaw",
      "orcid": "0000-0001-9949-8344"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/d55xwhehjsksh.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.1021/acs.langmuir.6c03729",
  "fulltext_url": "https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC13585132",
  "id": "d55xwhehjsksh",
  "issns": [
    "0743-7463",
    "1520-5827"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42915222",
  "language": "eng",
  "licence": "CC-BY",
  "licence_label": "CC BY",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "openalex",
      "1503|Ammonia Synthesis and Nitrogen Reduction"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7207535332",
  "pdf_url": "https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC13585132?pdf=render",
  "pmcid": "PMC13585132",
  "pmid": "42915222",
  "published": "2026-09-01",
  "publisher": null,
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/d55xwhehjsksh.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:21:02Z",
      "native_id": "MED:42915222",
      "source": "europepmc",
      "url": "https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42915222"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "chemistry",
      "origin": "openalex:1503|Ammonia Synthesis and Nitrogen Reduction",
      "subfield": "catalysis"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Selectivity of Nitrate Reduction and Hydrogen Evolution Reaction Modulated by Aggregation of Carbon-Supported Fe Species.",
  "title_text": "Selectivity of Nitrate Reduction and Hydrogen Evolution Reaction Modulated by Aggregation of Carbon-Supported Fe Species.",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:21:02Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/d55xwhehjsksh",
  "venue": "Langmuir : the ACS journal of surfaces and colloids",
  "versions": []
}