Single-Atom Rh Alloyed Co for Urea Electrosynthesis from CO and NO.

Single-atom Rh alloyed Co (RhCo) is explored as an efficient catalyst for urea electrosynthesis via coelectrolysis of CO and NO (UECN). Theoretical calculations and in situ spectroscopic measurements unravel the synergetic effect of Co and Rh in promoting the UECN process, where the Rh site activates NO to form *NH, while the Co site activates CO to form *CO. The formed *CO then desorbs from the Co site and transfers to the Rh site, followed by continuous C-N coupling with *NH formed on the Rh site to synthesize urea. Remarkably, RhCo assembled in a flow cell delivers the exceptional urea yield rate of 24.9 mmol h g and Faradaic efficiency of 51.1%, outperforming most previously reported UECN catalysts.