ELECTROCATALYTIC NITROGEN FIXATION FOR DISTRIBUTED FERTILIZER PRODUCTION?

BY MICHAEL JEWESS AND ROBERT H CRABTREE

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This work was published in ACS Sustainable Chem. Eng., 2016, 4(11), 5855-5858.

Abstract

Production of aqueous ammonium nitrate solution on farms ready for use could involve solar arrays and a suitable electrocatalytic process, feasible half cell and overall reactions being:

reaction at the cathode: N₂ + 6 e^– + 6 H⁺ → 2 NH₃

reaction at the anode: 1.5 NH₃ + 2.25 H₂O → 0.75 NH₄NO₃ + 6 e^– + 6 H⁺

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overall reaction: N₂ + 2.25 H₂O → 0.75 NH₄NO₃ + 0.5 NH₃

Although the possibility of producing ammonium nitrate by electrolyis goes back to Sir Humphry Davy, modern catalysts might allow useful yields.

Keywords: nitrogen fixation, Humphry Davy, Haber process, Ostwald process.

Further context and developments

Further context and developments are provided in Michael Jewess, “Davy hits the headlines (again)”: DAVYHEADLINE

CONTACT

Use this link symmetry to contact Dr Michael Jewess and this link crabtree to contact Professor Robert H Crabtree.