A Bifunctional Electroactive Ti4O7-Based Membrane System for Highly Efficient Ammonia Decontamination

Herein, an electroactive filtration system, consisting of a Ti4O7 anode and a Pd-Cu co-modified nickel foam cathode, was developed and applied for the decontamination of ammonia from water. When assisted with an external electrical field, ClO center dot was generated on the surface of the Ti4O7 anode, which then reacted selectively with ammonia to generate N-2. The anodic byproduct, NO3-, could also be reduced efficiently at the functional cathode to produce N-2 as well. Electron paramagnetic resonance technique and radical scavenging tests synergistically verified the essential role of ClO center dot during the highly efficient ammonia conversion process. Relative to conventional batch systems, the developed flow-through design demonstrated enhanced ammonia conversion kinetics, thanks to the convection-enhanced mass transport. The proposed technology also showed desirable stability across a wide environmental matrix. This work provides new insights for the development of advanced and affordable continuous-flow systems towards effective decontamination of ammonia.