• • N-RuO2 achieved 81.4% NH4+-N removal in 3 h, surpassing RuO2 (66.4%), DSA (60.3%), and Com-RuO2 (55.7%), with energy savings of 9.5, 13.1, and 17.7 Wh·g−1, respectively—critical for reducing operational costs in industrial wastewater treatment.
• • COD removal reached 91.8% in 100 min with N-RuO2, outperforming RuO2 (90.9%), DSA (88.4%), and Com-RuO2 (83.2%), while cutting energy consumption by 0.5, 0.8, and 1.5 Wh·g−1, demonstrating superior oxidation efficiency.
• • N-RuO2 exhibited a 25.6% higher Faradaic efficiency for chlorine evolution and a 2.9-fold longer accelerated lifetime compared to Com-RuO2, ensuring stable and efficient operation under harsh conditions.
• • The nanorod morphology increased electrochemical active surface area by 7.3 times and reduced charge transfer resistance by 6.86 Ω, directly enhancing catalytic activity and durability—key for scaling up to industrial electrodes.