Site items in: Electrochemical Ammonia

Presentation

Ammonia as a renewable liquid fuel has increased global interest for long term energy storage and as a principal chemical candidate in overcoming the challenging practical issues such as storage and transport associated with hydrogen. It is known the Haber-Bosch method of producing ammonia is based on fossil fuels and has a high energy consumption as a result of operating temperatures and pressures of special concern. A techno-economic study is presented for the electrochemical synthesis of ammonia with proton conducting membrane at near ambient pressure. Different coupling pathways were investigated for production of hydrogen and generation of nitrogen to assess…

Presentation

Herein, we demonstrate a synergistic approach consisting on radiofrequency plasma to synthesize ammonia in the presence of Ni-MOF-74 as catalyst. The Ni-MOF displayed higher ammonia yields as com-pared to the pure Ni metal. Specifically, ammonia yields as high as 0.23 g-NH3 (kWh-g-catalyst)-1 and energy cost of 265 MJ mol-1 over Ni-MOF were observed. The enhanced catalytic activity of the Ni-MOF in the presence of plasma was attributed to the presence of pores that improved mass transfer of guest and product molecules during reaction, the presence of open Ni metal sites, and lower surface hydrogen re-combination. Furthermore, the ammonia energy yield…

The global quest to decarbonize ammonia production
Article

NEWS BRIEF: The industrial process for ammonia production is increasingly being recognized as a target for decarbonization - by researchers, investors, regulators, and the producers themselves. Demonstrating this shift in awareness, Chemical and Engineering News (C&EN), one of the flagship publications of the American Chemical Society (ACS), this week published an in-depth review of global research and development efforts and demonstration plants for sustainable ammonia synthesis. Its review is all-encompassing, from near-term feasible renewable Haber-Bosch plants, to long-term research areas of electrochemistry, photocatalysis, and bioengineering.

A rigorous protocol for measuring electrochemical ammonia synthesis rates
Article

NEWS BRIEF: A paper published this week in Nature addresses the challenge of accurately reporting synthesis rates for electrochemical ammonia production technologies. According to the authors, from Stanford University, the Technical University of Denmark (DTU), and Imperial College London, it is not always clear if new technologies really synthesize ammonia, or if the researchers simply measured contaminants. This is because, at experimental scale, materially significant amounts of ammonia (or other nitrogen-containing molecules) could be present in the air, membranes, catalysts, or simply the researchers' breath. To support the development of viable electrochemical ammonia synthesis technologies, the authors propose "benchmarking protocols," and "a standardized set of control experiments."

Electrochemical Synthesis of Ammonia Using Nitrogen and Water in Alkaline Electrolytes Under Ambient Conditions
Presentation

Sustainable synthesis of Ammonia (NH3) is gaining great attention not only for its use as an alternative renewable energy fuel but also to substitute production of distributed fertilizers through the conventional Haber Bosch process. The conventional Haber-Bosch process to produce NH3 uses fossil fuels in deriving hydrogen from steam reforming of natural gas, is energy intensive and also leads to significant CO2 emission. Alternatively, electrochemical synthesis of ammonia (ESA) through the nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR) in alkaline medium saves the use of hydrogen as a reactant as the aqueous electrolyte forms the source of proton. However, the standard reduction potential…

Atmonia: Sustainable Ammonia Production Using Electrocatalysis at Ambient Temperature and Pressure
Presentation

Density functional theory simulations have shed light on reaction mechanisms, rate limiting steps and minimum energy paths for reactions to occur, in vacuum as well as in various media. Using that, we have selected certain criteria and revealed a few metal nitride surfaces that should be efficient and selective catalysts for nitrogen reduction in water. Recently, experimental confirmation was acquired for one of the surfaces. A novel methodology was developed where electrochemical catalysis chamber was directly connected in-line with a flow injection analysis method, providing direct detection of reaction rate and catalyst current efficiency, which is then further confirmed with…

Low-Pressure Electrolytic Ammonia Synthesis Via High-Temperature Polymer-Based Proton Exchange Membrane
Presentation

The University of North Dakota Energy and Environmental Research Center (EERC) and North Dakota State University (NDSU) have developed a low-pressure electrolytic ammonia (LPEA) production process. The LPEA process uses an electrochemical cell based on an innovative polymer–inorganic composite (PIC) high-temperature (300°C) gas-impermeable proton-exchange membrane conceptualized and partially developed by EERC and NDSU. Because of its operability at ambient pressure and quick start-up capability (versus traditional high-pressure Haber Bosch-based plants), the LPEA process offers compatibility with smaller-scale plants and intermittent operation, and a cost-effective means of monetizing (and storing) renewable energy as ammonia. EERC, NDSU, and Proton OnSite are embarking…

A Study on Electrochemical Ammonia Synthesis with Proton-Conducting Solid Oxide Electrolytic Cells
Presentation

Ammonia has become one of the most important chemicals with its versatility since the Haber-Bosch process was invented. Recently, ammonia has been getting interests because of its possibility as a hydrogen carrier. Since ammonia has high energy density and carbon-free characteristics, using ammonia as a fuel of solid oxide fuel cells is advantageous. However, the Haber-Bosch process spends much electricity because of the high pressure condition, and the process consumes more than 1% of energy consumption worldwide. Therefore, the development of a new method for the ammonia production is necessary. In this study, solid oxide based electrolytic cells were fabricated…

Electrochemical Reduction of Nitrogen to Ammonia over Transition Metals
Presentation

The ability to produce ammonia in a sustainable and efficient manner has been a topic of scientific and industrial importance for many years. The Haber-Bosch process has acted as the primary process for transforming nitrogen and hydrogen gas into ammonia. This process has become unsustainable in the foreseeable future and requires a cost-effective alternative. Ammonia is a critical component of fertilizer that is vital to the agriculture industry. The electrochemical reduction of N2 to ammonia would eliminate carbon dioxide emissions that are present in current ammonia production processes and allow for a environmentally favorable process. Although the electrochemical reduction of…