Electrically Promoted Thermocatalysis for Carbon and Nitrogen Cycle Transformations: Proton Hopping and Lattice Oxygen Regulation

Abstract Electrically promoted thermocatalysis (EPTC) has emerged as an effective strategy for overcoming the limitations of conventional thermocatalysis, particularly its dependence on high reaction temperatures and poor low-temperature activity. By coupling thermal catalysis with electrical inputs, EPTC enables additional control over catalytic processes through changes in catalyst electronic structure, charge transport, proton migration, and lattice oxygen dynamics. EPTC has been applied to a variety of carbon- and nitrogen-cycle reactions, including methane reforming, alkane dehydrogenation, ammonia synthesis, and nitrogen oxide conversion. In many cases, enhanced activity, selectivity, and catalyst stability have been achieved under milder operating conditions. However, the origin of catalytic enhancement remains under debate because electrical promotion and Joule heating often coexist and remain difficult to distinguish experimentally. This review examines recent progress in EPTC from the perspectives of reactor design, catalyst development, reaction applications, and mechanistic understanding. Particular emphasis is placed on catalyst conductivity as a practical descriptor for distinguishing electrothermal catalysis from electrical activation catalysis. Proton hopping and lattice oxygen regulation are discussed as two prominent electrically induced mechanisms, and current challenges and future opportunities for advancing EPTC toward practical low-carbon catalytic technologies are discussed critically.