Wednesday, July 29, 2026
Science

Gold-MXene catalyst converts nitrate to ammonia using sunlight and 1.5 volts

Plants need nitrogen fertilizers, which are usually ammonia-based. Ammonia is therefore one of the most important chemical products. However, its production is currently extremely energy-intensive. An international team from TU Wien and Soochow University in China has developed a novel catalyst that...

Gold-MXene catalyst converts nitrate to ammonia using sunlight and 1.5 volts
Image: Phys.org
Plants need nitrogen fertilizers, which are usually ammonia-based. Ammonia is therefore one of the most important chemical products. However, its production is currently extremely energy-intensive. An international team from TU Wien and Soochow University in China has developed a novel catalyst that can convert nitrate from wastewater into ammonia much more efficiently than before—powered by sunlight and about 1.5 volts.

Originally published at Phys.org

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