Electrocatalytic NO reduction reaction to generate NH 3 under ambient conditions offers an attractive alternative to the energy-extensive Haber-Bosch route; however, the challenge still lies in the development of cost-effective and high-performance electrocatalysts. Herein, nanoporous VN film is first designed as a highly selective and stable electrocatalyst for catalyzing reduction of NO to NH 3 with a maximal Faradaic efficiency of 85% and a peak yield rate of 1.05 × 10 -7 mol•cm -2 •s -1 (corresponding to 5,140.8 g•h -1 •mg cat.-1 ) at -0.6 V vs. reversible hydrogen electrode in acid medium. Meanwhile, this catalyst maintains an excellent activity with negligible current density and NH 3 yield rate decays over 40 h. Moreover, as a proof-of-concept of Zn-NO battery, it delivers a high power density of 2.0 mW•cm -2 and a large NH 3 yield rate of 0.22 × 10 -7 mol•cm -2 •s -1 (corresponding to 1,077.1 g•h -1 •mg cat.-1 ), both of which are comparable to the best-reported results. Theoretical analyses confirm that the VN surface favors the activation and hydrogenation of NO by suppressing the hydrogen evolution. This work highlights that the electrochemical NO reduction is an eco-friendly and energy-efficient strategy to produce NH 3 .

General overview of PEM electrolyzer and research status of key materials (e.g., membrane, electrocatalysts, gas diffusion layer and bipolar plate) are summarized. The degradation mechanisms under a real operating environment and future directions for developing PEM electrolyzer are discussed.

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A one-step synthesis procedure at elevated temperature was used to prepare Ti 3+ -containing blue titania. The prepared material was characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), UV−vis, Raman, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and N 2 adsorption and desorption measurements. The blue titania sample was found to be crystalline, with a surface area of 22 m 2 /g. Its phase composition consists of 85% rutile and 15% anatase with a multitude of defect surface V O -Ti 3+ sites. The blue titania showed an absorption red-shifted as compared to that of rutile, with a calculated bandgap of 2.93 eV. The photocatalytic performance of the blue titania was evaluated in the liquid phase selective photo-oxidation of methylcyclohexane (MCH) by illumination at 375 ± 10 nm (UV) and 425 ± 10 nm (visible light). The activity was monitored by attenuated total reflectance− Fourier transform infrared analysis. A high activity was observed for blue TiO 2 , remarkably equal in magnitude at both investigated wavelengths. The activity of the blue titania surpassed the activity of other (commercial) titania catalysts (rutile and P25), in particular at 425 nm, and the obtained selectivity for ketones was also greater. The activity data are discussed in relation to the properties of the three catalysts investigated, i.e., the texture, phase composition, and presence or absence of surface defects, of which the latter appears to be dominant in explaining the performance of the blue titania.