Article Synopsis
- Ammonia is crucial for fertilizers but the current production method generates significant carbon emissions.
- A new method using a phosphonium salt as a proton shuttle improves the efficiency of ammonia synthesis without CO2 emissions.
- The study achieved high ammonia production rates and continuous operation for over three days under controlled conditions.
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Article Abstract
Ammonia (NH) is a globally important commodity for fertilizer production, but its synthesis by the Haber-Bosch process causes substantial emissions of carbon dioxide. Alternative, zero-carbon emission NH synthesis methods being explored include the promising electrochemical lithium-mediated nitrogen reduction reaction, which has nonetheless required sacrificial sources of protons. In this study, a phosphonium salt is introduced as a proton shuttle to help resolve this limitation. The salt also provides additional ionic conductivity, enabling high NH production rates of 53 ± 1 nanomoles per second per square centimeter at 69 ± 1% faradaic efficiency in 20-hour experiments under 0.5-bar hydrogen and 19.5-bar nitrogen. Continuous operation for more than 3 days is demonstrated.
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| http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.abg2371 | DOI Listing |
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