Ammonia electro-oxidation reaction: Recent development in mechanistic understanding and electrocatalyst design

Ammonia electro-oxidation reaction is one of the most prominent electrochemical reactions having great potentials to solve severe energy and environmental problems. It is the anodic reaction in direct ammonia fuel cells, ammonia electrolysis, wastewater remediation and electrochemical sensors. However, slow reaction kinetics require use of electrocatalysts and the most active one, i.e. platinum, is expensive. Understanding the mechanism and reaction intermediates during the reaction is important for the development of active and stable electrocatalysts. In this review, recent progress in interpretation of mechanisms through use of different on-line techniques is discussed. Advances in development of efficient electrocatalysts are also overviewed.