Ammonia production via the Haber-Bosch process supplies fertilizer essential to grow 40% of the world’s food. High pressure conditions required for the reaction contribute to the process’s consumption of approximately 2% of the energy generated in the world each year. Furthermore, the process’s hydrogen source is derived from fossil fuels. Manganese proves as a useful fossil-free catalyst to synthesize ammonia at atmospheric pressures, thus cutting the energy demanded to create and maintain high pressure throughout the reaction along with decreasing carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels. Work in the Chikan Lab focuses on developing a manganese catalyst which efficiently produces fossil-free ammonia under atmospheric pressure. Two methods of synthesizing the manganese catalyst are being explored. The first method employs a manganese nanoparticle synthesis via inductively heating a colloidal manganese chloride solution, then introducing the reducing agent n-butyllithium. This is considered the bottom-up method. On the other hand, the second method involves melting manganese powder within a graphite crucible by means of inductive heating and proceeding to grind the resulting material down to a fine powder. Here a top-down method is described. This research aims to reduce the cost and carbon footprint, while increasing accessibility of large-scale ammonia production worldwide.

Developing effective catalysts: Sustainable fossil-free ammonia synthesis at atmospheric pressure

2019 Spring National Meeting

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.