Plasma-Enhanced Catalytic Synthesis of Ammonia over a Ni/Al2O3 Catalyst at Near-Room Temperature: Insights into the Importance of the Catalyst Surface on the Reaction Mechanism.

ABSTRACT: A better fundamental understanding of the plasma-catalyst interaction and the reaction mechanism is vital for optimizing the design of catalysts for ammonia synthesis by plasma-catalysis. In this work, we report on a hybrid plasma-enhanced catalytic process for the synthesis of ammonia directly from N2 and H2 over transition metal catalysts (M/Al2O3, M = Fe, Ni, Cu) at near room temperature (∼35 °C) and atmospheric pressure. Reactions were conducted in a specially designed coaxial dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma reactor using water as a ground electrode, which could cool and maintain the reaction at near-room temperature. The transparency of the water electrode enabled operando optical diagnostics (intensified charge-coupled device (ICCD) imaging and optical emission spectroscopy

SUBMITTER: Wang Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7011700 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature