Center for Emerging Energy Sciences

                    

Projects  -  Novel Nitrogen Fixation:

Haber Bosch process is the industrial method for ammonia production on commercial scale in the world. Our research group have developed a cleaner and environmentally friendly method for Nitrogen fixation. We were co-depositing green-synthesized nanoparticles compounds on Pd cathodes electrolytically in our lab when we saw a sudden decompression of the roughly 1.5 atm of nitrogen in the head space of our cells.  This decompression corresponded with nitrogen fixation, since the composition of gas in these ~ 100 ml head space volume was approximately 78% nitrogen gas.  The decompression went down to roughly 40 torr in one cell, and we have seen this effect now in repeatedly.  It is interesting since the pressure was about 1.5 atm, and the temperature if these electrolytic cells was about 40 ^oC.  A total power dissipation by electrolysis was about 0.8 W.  This appears to be a very low energy requirement, when compared to the Haber Bosch process, to fix nitrogen.  We have chemically confirmed NH3 / NH4 + and NOx in the electrolyte following the decompressions, when none was there initially.