Collaborative Research: Electrochemical Production of NH3 Using Proton-Conducting Ceramic Electrolytes

合作研究：利用质子传导陶瓷电解质电化学生产NH3

• 批准号: 1804145
• 负责人: Raymond Gorte
• 金额: $ 22.5万
• 依托单位: University of Pennsylvania
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2018
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2018-09-01 至 2021-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1804145&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Collaborative; Research; Electrochemical; Production; NH3; Collaborative; Research; Electrochemical; Production; NH3

Ammonia synthesis is essential for production of fertilizers used in food production, along with many other applications. The present method for producing ammonia, the 100-year-old Haber-Bosch process, is based on natural gas and consumes 1-2% of total global energy. It is a high-pressure, high-temperature process that is only economical if used for large-scale production. There would be significant advantages to producing ammonia directly from renewable forms of electricity at the location where it is needed. The goal of this project is to demonstrate that this can be accomplished with high efficiency. This project will seek to develop an electrochemical method for production of ammonia from hydrogen and nitrogen using a proton-conducting, ceramic, solid-oxide electrochemical cell. The central hypothesis is that atmospheric-pressure, ammonia synthesis can be realized by electrochemically driving hydrogen onto catalytic surfaces that are normally limited by high nitride coverage. The project will seek to develop electrode catalysts that are able to dissociate molecular nitrogen, the rate-limiting step in conventional Haber-Bosch synthesis, while simultaneously showing low activity for hydrogen recombination so as to achieve a high hydrogen fugacity at the electrode surface. The project will take advantage of the infiltration methods previously developed for electrode synthesis in Solid Oxide Fuel Cells which allows a wide range of materials to be used for the electrodes. The project will explore mixed electronic-protonic conductors that can be added to the electrode to enhance the three-phase boundary where the electrochemical reaction can occur. The choice of electrocatalysts will be guided by complementary theoretical studies. Small-scale demonstration cells will be produced. If successful, the project will have a dramatic impact on the energy demand and carbon dioxide emissions from ammonia synthesis. The project will support both graduate and undergraduate students in conducting the research, and the PIs will develop faculty-led peer mentorship programs that aim to increase retention of underrepresented undergraduate students in STEM.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

氨合成对于用于粮食生产中使用的肥料以及许多其他应用至关重要。目前生产氨的方法是100年历史的Haber-Bosch工艺，基于天然气，并消耗了全球总能源的1-2％。这是一个高压，高温的过程，仅用于大规模生产时才经济。直接从需要的可再生形式的电力产生氨将有很大的优势。该项目的目的是证明这可以通过高效率来实现。该项目将寻求使用质子导电，陶瓷，固体氧化物电化学细胞从氢和氮中生产氨的电化学方法。中心假设是，通过将氢驱动到通常受氮化物覆盖范围高的限制的催化表面上，可以通过将氢驱动到催化表面来实现大气压。该项目将寻求开发能够解散分子氮的电极催化剂，这是传统的Haber-Bosch合成的速率限制步骤，同时显示出氢重组的低活性，以实现电极表面上的高氢散热性。该项目将利用先前用于固体氧化物燃料电池中电极合成的浸润方法，该方法允许多种材料用于电极。该项目将探索可以添加到电极中的混合电子原始导体，以增强可能发生电化学反应的三相边界。电催化剂的选择将由互补的理论研究指导。将产生小规模的示范细胞。如果成功，该项目将对氨合成的能源需求和二氧化碳排放产生巨大影响。该项目将支持研究生和本科生进行研究，PIS将开发教师领导的同伴指导计划，旨在增加STEM中代表性不足的本科生的保留。该奖项反映了NSF的法定任务，并通过使用该基金会的知识优点和广泛的影响来评估NSF的法定任务。