STTR Phase I: Plasma Electrochemical System for Cost Competitive Air to Ammonia Production

The broader/commercial impact of this Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I project is the development of an on-site ammonia synthesis reactor that can be deployed anywhere with grid connectivity, expanding ammonia access for the agricultural sector. Ammonia is one of the most widely produced chemical compounds worldwide, with the incumbent Haber-Bosch process accounting for over 96% of global production. However, this process is highly energy intensive, requiring fossil fuel-derived hydrogen and centralized production to accommodate the extreme temperatures and pressures needed for production. This results in energy intensive processes, high emissions, and complex and unreliable supply chains. In contrast, decentralized, on-site ammonia generation promotes local agriculture by providing communities with a reliable, on-site source of fertilizers with reduced transportation and storage costs. Integration of this technology, which uses water and air as free and reliably available raw materials, reduces reliance on international natural gas prices and helps mitigate cost volatility and supply chain disruptions. By enabling direct air-to-NH3 conversion at room temperature, this technology is expected to enhance supply-chain stability, lower costs, and reduce energy reliance for fertilizer production. The technical innovation of this Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) project lies in the ability to independently control the nitrogen activation chemistry in a non-thermal plasma reactor and the selective ammonia conversion in an electrochemical reactor, something that neither plasma catalysis nor electrocatalysis alone can accomplish. This process enables the direct conversion of nitrogen into ammonia under ambient conditions, relying solely on atmospheric nitrogen, water, and renewable electricity. Technology development will occur through the following two main objectives. 1) Determination of the ideal residence time in the reactor and refinement of the hydrodynamics of the plasma field to maximize N2 activation into NOxHy; and 2) Enhancement of NH3 production through the identification of the most energy-efficient intermediate from the plasma reactor, the tailoring of reactor conditions to optimize its formation, and the development of a high-performance catalyst in the electrochemical reactor to drive efficient NH₃ synthesis. These investigations will determine the most energy-efficient system configuration, enabling technology to achieve cost parity with Haber-Bosch while matching its nitrogen activation yield and energy efficiency. Each unique set of plasma conditions will be tested and the outputs characterized using GC-MS, UV-vis and NMR while high entropy alloys will be screened using computational algorithms. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.