RETRACTED: Ammonia synthesis by N
            2
            and steam electrolysis in molten hydroxide suspensions of nanoscale Fe
            2
            O
            3

Stuart Licht; Baochen Cui; Baohui Wang; Fang-Fang Li; Jason Lau; Shuzhi Liu

doi:10.1126/science.1254234

journal article Aug 08, 2014

RETRACTED: Ammonia synthesis by N 2 and steam electrolysis in molten hydroxide suspensions of nanoscale Fe 2 O 3

Stuart Licht

Baochen Cui Baohui Wang

Fang-Fang Li

Jason Lau Shuzhi Liu

Science Vol. 345 No. 6197 pp. 637-640 · American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)

View at Publisher Save 10.1126/science.1254234

Abstract

Taking carbon out of the ammonial recipe

The reaction used to make ammonia for synthetic fertilizer requires hydrogen. Nowadays, that hydrogen is stripped from methane, creating CO
2
as a by-product. Licht
et al.
demonstrate a relatively efficient electrochemical process in which water and nitrogen react directly to form ammonia. The approach removes the need for an independent hydrogen generation step. The process takes place in molten hydroxide salt and requires a nanostructured iron oxide–derived catalyst. Although the catalyst suspension is currently only stable for a few hours, the protocol points to a way to produce ammonia from purely renewable resources.

Science
, this issue p.
637

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References

Details

Published: Aug 08, 2014
Vol/Issue: 345(6197)
Pages: 637-640

Authors

S

Stuart Licht