image: This review summarizes key research on dual-metal-site (DMS) electrocatalysts for NO3RR, detailing functional types for ammonia synthesis, their structures and mechanisms. It also touches on AI-driven synthesis and future prospects, aiming to offer insights, aid catalyst design, and advance practical applications of (DMS) electrocatalysts.
Credit: Nano Research, Tsinghua University Press
Electrochemical nitrate reduction reaction (NO3RR) emerges as a sustainable approach for converting residual nitrate pollutants into valuable ammonia under ambient conditions, offering a promising alternative to the energy-intensive Haber-Bosch process. Compared to single-metal-site electrocatalysts, dual-metal-site (DMS) electrocatalysts show synergistic effects between adjacent metal sites, effectively regulating the electronic state and enhancing the catalytic activity and selectivity for NO3RR with multi-step proton and electron transfers. Further understanding on NO3RR is of practical significance for design of efficient DMS electrocatalysts.
A team of electrocatalysis scientists led by Jiacheng Wang from Taizhou University in Zhejiang, China, recently investigated the recent advancement of DMS electrocatalysts for NO3RR to ammonia synthesis, providing new understandings and insights into this catalytic process. The NO3RR mechanism, artificial intelligence (AI)-driven DMS synthesis, DMS synthesis/characterization, and design of chemical reaction systems are categorized and discussed. DMS electrocatalysts for NO3RR at the cathode can reduce the energy input for water oxidation, biomass oxidation reactions, and zinc-nitrate batteries, while simultaneously enhancing the yields of anode and cathode products. Finally, the remaining challenges and future perspectives for DMS electrocatalysts in NO3RR are further discussed. This review provides in-depth guidance for rational design of dual-site electrocatalysts, facilitating practical and sustainable electrochemical processes in the near future.
The team published their review in Nano Research on March 5, 2026.
“In this review, we summarize the guiding and landmark works on dual-metal-site electrocatalysts in NO3RR, aiming to provide new understandings and insights into this catalytic process. Different functional types of DMS catalysts applicable to the electrocatalytic NO3RR for ammonia synthesis are discussed in detail. We discussed the structural characteristics and catalytic mechanisms of various DMS catalyst systems, the practical application strategies and AI-driven DMS synthesis in the current field of nitrate reduction, and the future challenges and opportunities are prospected,” said Jiacheng Wang, senior author of the review paper, Professor in the Zhejiang Key Laboratory for Island Green Energy and New Materials, Institute of Electrochemistry, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Taizhou University, China. Dr. Wang (FRSC) is currently a Full professor at Taizhou University, China, and Head of Zhejiang Key Laboratory for Island Green Energy and New Materials.
The direct NO3RR, driven by electricity generated from renewable energy, is a clean and sustainable alternative to the above denitrification and subsequent Haber-Bosch process. It could enable NH3 synthesis under ambient conditions while offering potential environmental restoration and energy benefits.
Due to the inherently slow reaction dynamics in the eight-electron and nine-proton transfer processes, tremendous efforts have been devoted to designing highly efficient catalysts to enhance the catalytic performance. Wang’s team demonstrated DMS for effective NH3 synthesis in a previous study. Jiacheng Wang said, “DMS electrocatalysts with synergistic effect between two-metal centers have unique advantages in regulating the reaction selectivity and boosting the catalytic activity for NO3RR.”
The research team expects the review to spur the development of DMS designed to facilitate ammonia synthesis. “As an alternative for the ecofriendly Haber-Bosh process, NO3RR has been emerging as a rising star to produce green ammonia. Although significant progress and breakthroughs have been made and a lot of catalysts have been investigated for NO3RR, there is still a long way to industrial applications, because the yield rate and FE cannot satisfy the practical requirements. Due to the flexible and adjustable dual sites with high activity and selectivity for NH3, DMS catalysts are expected to be used in more electrocatalysts in the future,” said Jiacheng Wang.
Other contributors include Jiacheng (Jayden) Wang, Junqing Ma, Hanxiao Du, Ruguang Ma, and Jiacheng Wang from the Zhejiang Key Laboratory for Island Green Energy and New Materials, Institute of Electrochemistry, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Taizhou University, Taizhou, Zhejiang, China and State Key Laboratory of High-Performance Ceramics and Superfine Microstructure, Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China and School of Materials Science and Engineering, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou China.
This work was supported by the financial support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (52472231, 52172058, W2521017, and 52311530113), Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province (BK20241946), and the Central Guidance on Science and Technology Development Fund of Zhejiang Province (2024ZY01011).
About the Authors
Dr. Jiacheng Wang (FRSC) is currently a full professor at Taizhou University, Zhejiang, China, and head of Zhejiang Key Laboratory for Island Green Energy and New Materials. He obtained his Ph.D. from the Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (SICCAS) in 2007. From 2013 to 2023, he was a professor at SICCAS. He was awarded with Alexander von Humboldt Fellowship, JSPS Post doctoral Fellowship for Foreign Researcher, and Marie Curie Intra-European Fellowship. His present research focuses on rational design and preparation of advanced materials for energy transformation and photoluminescence. For more information, please pay attention to his research homepage https://jcwang-team.com/.
Dr. Ruguang Ma is currently a professor in the School of Materials Science and Engineering, Suzhou University of Science and Technology. He received his PhD degree in materials science from City University of Hong Kong in 2013. Then he worked as postdoc in Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. In 2014, he joined Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, Chinese Academy of Sciences. He has published over 100 peer-reviewed papers with 9,000 citations and H-index of 55. His research interests include the design and synthesis of highly efficient cost-effective catalysts and new nanostructured electrode materials for rechargeable batteries.
About Nano Research
Nano Research is a peer-reviewed, open access, international and interdisciplinary research journal, sponsored by Tsinghua University and the Chinese Chemical Society, published by Tsinghua University Press on the platform SciOpen. It publishes original high-quality research and significant review articles on all aspects of nanoscience and nanotechnology, ranging from basic aspects of the science of nanoscale materials to practical applications of such materials. After 18 years of development, it has become one of the most influential academic journals in the nano field. Nano Research has published more than 1,000 papers every year from 2022, with its cumulative count surpassing 7,000 articles. In 2024 InCites Journal Citation Reports, its 2024 IF is 9.0 (8.7, 5 years), and it continues to be the Q1 area among the four subject classifications. Nano Research Award, established by Nano Research together with TUP and Springer Nature in 2013, and Nano Research Young Innovators (NR45) Awards, established by Nano Research in 2018, have become international academic awards with global influence.
Journal
Nano Research
Article Title
Electrifying Nitrate Conversion: Dual-Metal-Site Catalysts as a Game-Changer for Sustainable NH₃ Production
Article Publication Date
5-Mar-2026