Chemical–Mineralogical Systems That Are Able To Generate Nitrogen Compounds on Earth and Even Mars

Abstract

The formation of nitrogen compounds by chemical fixing of atmospheric nitrogen in ambient conditions in only one technological step is of particular interest for the chemical industry and science. The effect is achieved by air bubbling through the reactor containing a cross-linked ionic polymer with strongly basic functional groups and sulfate solution of a trivalent metal. The lower the temperature of the reactor, the higher the yield production of nitrogen compounds. In the polymer phase, jarosite-type compound formation occurs that participates in the redox processes, followed by the partial destruction and synthesis of nitrogen compounds. The results from this work demonstrate that, under certain conditions, systems containing a strongly basic cross-linked polymer and solution of three valence metal sulfates (Fe3+, Ga3+, and others) are able to generate nitrogen-containing compounds, using atmospheric nitrogen. The spontaneous and uncontrolled processes of nitrogen compound generation could occur in nature, which would explain the stability of some minerals on Earth and even Mars.