Water-driven Solid Electrolyte Interphase Governs Continuous-flow Ammonia Electrosynthesis

Authors

• Pengbo Liu, State Key Laboratory of Precision and Intelligent Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Materials Science, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026, P. R. China.
• Shengliang Zhai, State Key Laboratory of Precision and Intelligent Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Materials Science, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026, P. R. China; Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, Key Laboratory of Strongly-Coupled Quantum Matter Physics of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Key Laboratory of Surface and Interface Chemistry and Energy Catalysis of Anhui Higher Education Institutes, Department of Chemical Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026, P. R. China.Follow
• Ji Huang, State Key Laboratory of Precision and Intelligent Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Materials Science, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026, P. R. China.
• Zhongshuo Zhang, State Key Laboratory of Precision and Intelligent Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Materials Science, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026, P. R. China; Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, Key Laboratory of Strongly-Coupled Quantum Matter Physics of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Key Laboratory of Surface and Interface Chemistry and Energy Catalysis of Anhui Higher Education Institutes, Department of Chemical Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026, P. R. China.
• Jie Zeng, Hefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, Key Laboratory of Strongly-Coupled Quantum Matter Physics of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Key Laboratory of Surface and Interface Chemistry and Energy Catalysis of Anhui Higher Education Institutes, Department of Chemical Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026, P. R. China; School of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, Anhui University of Technology, Ma’anshan, Anhui 243002, P. R. China; Deep Space Exploration Laboratory, Hefei 230088, P. R. China.Follow
• Shaofeng Li, State Key Laboratory of Precision and Intelligent Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Materials Science, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026, P. R. China.Follow

Document Type

Article

Corresponding Author(s)

Shengliang Zhai(zsl199661@ustc.edu.cn);
Jie Zeng(zengj@ustc.edu.cn);
Shaofeng Li(shaofengli@ustc.edu.cn)

Abstract

Flow-cell architectures have emerged as a powerful platform for continuous and stable lithium-mediated nitrogen reduction (Li-NRR), enabling ambient-condition electrochemical ammonia synthesis and offering a promising alternative to Haber-Bosch processes. However, Li-NRR is exceptionally sensitive to trace water, and even minor variations in water content can profoundly alter interfacial chemistry. Here, we systematically investigate how initial water concentration affects Li-NRR performance in a continuous-flow cell. Excess water drives the formation of a thick solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) layer, which may impede nitrogen access to metallic lithium and hinder lithium-ion transport. As a result, the ammonia Faradaic efficiency collapses from ~61% to ~3%. These findings reveal the decisive, previously underappreciated role of water in governing SEI evolution and highlight the necessity of precise water control for achieving stable, high-efficiency continuous-flow Li-NRR.

Graphical Abstract

Keywords

water, solid electrolyte interphase, continuous-flow cell, lithium-mediated nitrogen reduction, ammonia synthesis

DOI

10.61558/2993-074X.3605

Online Date

1-13-2026

Recommended Citation

Pengbo Liu, Shengliang Zhai, Ji Huang, Zhongshuo Zhang, Jie Zeng, Shaofeng Li. Water-driven Solid Electrolyte Interphase Governs Continuous-flow Ammonia Electrosynthesis[J]. Journal of Electrochemistry, doi: 10.61558/2993-074X.3605.