Influence of carbonaceous species on aqueous photo-catalytic nitrogen fixation by titania

Liu, Yu-Hsuan; Vu, Manh Hiep; Lim, Jeonghoon; Do, Trong‐On; Hatzell, Marta C.

doi:10.1039/c8fd00191j

Cited by 14 publications

(18 citation statements)

References 28 publications

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“…This process also accounts for ∼2% of global energy consumption and ∼1% of global CO 2 emissions, mainly from hydrogen production via methane reforming. , New industrial processes that operate under mild conditions, with renewable energy sources, and near end use would facilitate both distributed fertilizer production and a decarbonized ammonia industry . Novel catalytic approaches have utilized electrons, , photons, − and nonthermal plasmas, , as well as looping system conditions, − to synthesize ammonia closer to ambient conditions. Such processes could produce ammonia directly from nitrogen and water using solar power or operate at scales where water electrolysis is competitive with methane reforming.…”

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confidence: 99%

Mechanocatalytic Ammonia Synthesis over TiN in Transient Microenvironments

et al. 2020

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Environmentally friendly and energy-efficient ways to produce ammonia are essential to meet global food demands. Here, a new approach for ammonia production at nominally ambient conditions is introduced. As proof of concept, ammonia is synthesized mechanocatalytically by ball milling titanium in a continuous gas flow. The ammonia synthesis reaction is proposed to follow a transient Mars− van Krevelen mechanism under mechanically activated conditions, where molecular nitrogen incorporation into the titanium lattice and titanium nitride hydrogenation occur in thermodynamically distinct environments. X-ray powder diffraction and X-ray absorption spectroscopy confirm the formation of titanium nitride from titanium and N 2 . The reactivity of nitrided titanium supports that lattice nitrogen plays a role in ammonia formation. The in situ formed titanium nitride is catalytically active, and the nitride regeneration reaction is determined to be the ratelimiting step. A preliminary technoeconomic analysis shows that this approach could be feasible for distributed ammonia production.

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Mechanocatalytic Ammonia Synthesis over TiN in Transient Microenvironments

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“…Therefore, careful characterization and control of surface carbon is critical to ensure reproducibility in photocatalytic nitrogen fixation on TiO 2 and other semiconductors [45] . The results were later confirmed in aqueous photocatalytic nitrogen conversion [46] …”

Section: Challenges Of N2 Activationmentioning

confidence: 96%

Photocatalytic Nitrogen Reduction: Challenging Materials with Reaction Engineering

2021

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Ammonia is not only the most important chemical for fertilizer production, it has also gained much interest as a future hydrogen storage material. Besides the well‐known Haber–Bosch process to generate ammonia from elemental sources, new ways to convert nitrogen into ammonia have been investigated in the last decade for a decentralized production, including electrocatalytic and photocatalytic approaches. However, photocatalysis in particular suffers from stagnating materials development and unstandardized reaction conditions. In this Review, we shine light on recent materials and reaction engineering results for photocatalytic nitrogen reduction, putting an emphasis on the need to connect the activity of reported materials together with detailed reaction conditions and efficiencies. Photocatalytic nitrogen reduction is an emerging field that will certainly gain significant interest in the future as a sustainable pathway to generate green hydrogen and ammonia. The field will certainly strongly benefit from joint efforts with strong interactions between chemists, physicists and chemical engineers at a fundamental level.

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“…Photocatalysis is another process capable of obtaining decarbonized ammonia. This process operates at ambient conditions, but nearly all photocatalysts suffer from low rates of production. − …”

Section: Future Manufacturing Of Ammonia and Nitric Acidmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ammonia and Nitric Acid Demands for Fertilizer Use in 2050

et al. 2021

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Access to nitrogen-based fertilizers is critical to maximize agricultural yield, as nitrogen is the most common rate-limiting nutrient. Nearly all nitrogenbased fertilizers rely on ammonia and nitric acid as feedstocks, and thus the demand for these chemicals is heavily dependent on the global population and food demand. Over the next three decades, the global population will continue to dictate the market size and value for ammonia and nitric acid, which consequently will have a significant impact on our energy infrastructure. Here, we discuss the potential for carbon-free electrocatalytic nitrogen reduction, nitrogen oxidation, and nitrate reduction to meet fertilizer manufacturing demands. We also explore various growth scenarios to predict the 2050 market size and value for ammonia and nitric acid. We highlight that if the current approaches for manufacturing ammonia and nitric acid remain constant, carbon emissions from the production of fixed fertilizer feedstocks could exceed 1300 Mt CO 2eq /yr, prompting a strong need for green alternatives.

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Influence of carbonaceous species on aqueous photo-catalytic nitrogen fixation by titania

Abstract: We tested an emerging hypothesis that carbon species may play an integral role in catalyzing dinitrogen adsorption and reduction to ammonia.

Cited by 14 publications

References 28 publications

Mechanocatalytic Ammonia Synthesis over TiN in Transient Microenvironments

Mechanocatalytic Ammonia Synthesis over TiN in Transient Microenvironments

Photocatalytic Nitrogen Reduction: Challenging Materials with Reaction Engineering

Ammonia and Nitric Acid Demands for Fertilizer Use in 2050

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