Electrochemical Synthesis of Ammonia via Nitrogen Reduction and Oxygen Evolution Reactions—A Comprehensive Review on Electrolyte-Supported Cells

Hizkia Manuel Vieri, Moo-Chang Kim, Arash Badakhsh and Sun Hee Choi ()
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Hizkia Manuel Vieri: Hydrogen·Fuel Cell Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea
Moo-Chang Kim: Hydrogen·Fuel Cell Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea
Arash Badakhsh: PNDC, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow G68 0EF, UK
Sun Hee Choi: Hydrogen·Fuel Cell Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea

Energies, 2024, vol. 17, issue 2, 1-14

Abstract: The application of protonic ceramic electrolysis cells (PCECs) for ammonia (NH 3 ) synthesis has been evaluated over the past 14 years. While nitrogen (N 2 ) is the conventional fuel on the cathode side, various fuels such as methane (CH 4 ), hydrogen (H 2 ), and steam (H 2 O) have been investigated for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) on the anode side. Because H 2 is predominantly produced through CO 2 -emitting methane reforming, H 2 O has been the conventional carbon-free option thus far. Although the potential of utilizing H 2 O and N 2 as fuels is considerable, studies exploring this specific combination remain limited. PCEC fabrication technologies are being developed extensively, thus necessitating a comprehensive review. Several strategies for electrode fabrication, deposition, and electrolyte design are discussed herein. The progress in electrode development for PCECs has also been delineated. Finally, the existing challenges and prospective outlook of PCEC for NH 3 synthesis are analyzed and discussed. The most significant finding is the lack of past research involving PCEC with H 2 O and N 2 as fuel configurations and the diversity of nitrogen reduction reaction catalysts. This review indicates that the maximum NH 3 synthesis rate is 14 × 10 −9 mol cm −2 s −1, and the maximum current density for the OER catalyst is 1.241 A cm −2 . Moreover, the pellet electrolyte thickness must be maintained at approximately 0.8–1.5 mm, and the stability of thin-film electrolytes must be improved.

Keywords: electrochemical ammonia synthesis; protonic ceramic electrolysis cells; hydrogen; catalysts; nitrogen reduction reaction (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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