Continuous ammonia synthesis using Ru nanoparticles based on Li–N2 battery

Abstract

The exponential increase in carbon dioxide emission has attracted the attention of the international community, and the role of ammonia as a carbon-free energy source has become prominent. The rapid development of renewable energy sources guides humankind toward electrochemical ammonia synthesis. Lithium-mediated nitrogen reduction (LiNR) is a well-recognized and promising approach to the electrochemical synthesis of ammonia and is combined with the Li–N2 battery in the present study. Ru nanoparticle is used as cathode catalyst, H2O is chosen as the proton source for continuous ammonia synthesis, and is beneficial for the reaction of Li and N2 theoretically and experimentally, to produce LiOH and NH3 at the cathode interface. The proton donor also participates in the film formation reaction and the decomposition of cathode products, Li-salt, is verified by charging, so that lithium ions are cyclized and reutilized next time. This article provides a novel application for Li–N2 battery, which can be used as a model for continuous lithium-mediated ammonia synthesis (C-LiNR). Futhermore, it highlights that the ternary roles of the optimal proton source worthy of emphatically study in LiNR.