Electride support boosts nitrogen dissociation over ruthenium catalyst and shifts the bottleneck in ammonia synthesis

Novel approaches to efficient ammonia synthesis at an ambient pressure are actively sought out so as to reduce the cost of ammonia production and to allow for compact production facilities. It is accepted that the key is the development of a high-performance catalyst that significantly enhances dissociation of the nitrogen-nitrogen triple bond, which is generally considered a rate-determining step. Here we examine kinetics of nitrogen and hydrogen isotope exchange and hydrogen adsorption/desorption reactions for a recently discovered efficient catalyst for ammonia synthesis--ruthenium-loaded 12CaO·7Al2O3 electride (Ru/C12A7:e(-))--and find that the rate controlling step of ammonia synthesis over Ru/C12A7:e(-)…

• UD
  U.S. Department of Energy
• B
  Battelle
• EA
  Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council

  Awards: L000202, EP/ L000202
• JS
  Japan Science and Technology Agency
• LD
  Laboratory Directed Research and Development
• AI
  Accelerated Innovation Research Initiative Turning Top Science and Ideas into High-Impact Values
• PN
  Pacific Northwest National Laboratory