Plasma-Assisted Catalysis for Ammonia Synthesis

Ammonia (NH₃) is important in the production of many products including fertilizers, plastics, resins, synthetic fabrics, and explosives. At the industrial scale, NH₃ is produced using the Haber–Bosch (H–B) process, which is typically carried out at high temperatures and pressures. This process produces over 300 million metric tons of carbon dioxide each year, and consumes 1-2% of the world’s energy supply. Plasma catalysis is emerging as a promising green alternative for small-scale NH₃ production involving mild reaction conditions. However, the NH₃ yield from plasma catalysis is low due to lack of highly efficient catalysts and NH₃ decomposition. Recent experiments have shown that using a porous catalyst support can increase the NH₃ synthesis rate as compared to nonporous beads. In a follow up study, the effect of catalyst support particle porosity on the conversion of NH₃ synthesis from N₂ and H₂ in a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma reactor was reported. The results from this study indicated that the larger surface area presented by the porous particles led to a higher rate of NH₃ synthesis. 

J. Phys. Chem. A 2022, 126, 8741–8752