Decoding technical multi-promoted ammonia synthesis catalysts

Luis Sandoval-Díaz (), Raoul Blume, Kassiogé Dembélé, Jan Folke, Maxime Boniface, Frank Girgsdies, Adnan Hammud, Zahra Gheisari, Danail Ivanov, René Eckert, Stephan Reitmeier, Andreas Reitzmann, Robert Schlögl, Beatriz Roldan Cuenya, Holger Ruland, Axel Knop-Gericke and Thomas Lunkenbein ()
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Luis Sandoval-Díaz: Fritz-Haber-Institute of the Max-Planck-Society
Raoul Blume: Max Planck Institute for Chemical Energy Conversion
Kassiogé Dembélé: Fritz-Haber-Institute of the Max-Planck-Society
Jan Folke: Max Planck Institute for Chemical Energy Conversion
Maxime Boniface: Fritz-Haber-Institute of the Max-Planck-Society
Frank Girgsdies: Fritz-Haber-Institute of the Max-Planck-Society
Adnan Hammud: Fritz-Haber-Institute of the Max-Planck-Society
Zahra Gheisari: Fritz-Haber-Institute of the Max-Planck-Society
Danail Ivanov: Fritz-Haber-Institute of the Max-Planck-Society
René Eckert: Clariant Produkte (Deutschland) GmbH
Stephan Reitmeier: Clariant Produkte (Deutschland) GmbH
Andreas Reitzmann: Clariant Produkte (Deutschland) GmbH
Robert Schlögl: Fritz-Haber-Institute of the Max-Planck-Society
Beatriz Roldan Cuenya: Fritz-Haber-Institute of the Max-Planck-Society
Holger Ruland: Max Planck Institute for Chemical Energy Conversion
Axel Knop-Gericke: Max Planck Institute for Chemical Energy Conversion
Thomas Lunkenbein: Fritz-Haber-Institute of the Max-Planck-Society

Nature Communications, 2025, vol. 16, issue 1, 1-13

Abstract: Abstract Ammonia is industrially produced by the Haber-Bosch process over a fused, multi-promoted iron-based catalyst. Current knowledge about the reaction has been derived from model systems of reduced structural complexity, impeding any clear-cut structure-activity correlation relevant for the industrial counterpart. Here, we unveil the structural evolution of complex, technical, multi-promoted ammonia synthesis catalysts by operando scanning electron microscopy and near-ambient pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. We highlight that the activation is the critical step in which the catalyst is formed and decode the pivotal role of the promoters. We discover that the active structure consists of a nanodispersion of Fe covered by mobile K-containing adsorbates, so called “ammonia K”. The porous catalyst is stabilized by mineral cementitious phases containing oxides of Al, Si, Ca, and Fe. The synergism between the different promoters contributes simultaneously to the structural stability, hierarchical architecture, catalytic activity, and poisoning resistance. The confluence of these aspects is the key for the superior performance of technical catalyst formulations.

Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-63061-6

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