Issue 1, 2017

A low-crystalline ruthenium nano-layer supported on praseodymium oxide as an active catalyst for ammonia synthesis

Abstract

Ammonia is a crucial chemical feedstock for fertilizer production and is a potential energy carrier. However, the current method of synthesizing ammonia, the Haber–Bosch process, consumes a great deal of energy. To reduce energy consumption, a process and a substance that can catalyze ammonia synthesis under mild conditions (low temperature and low pressure) are strongly needed. Here we show that Ru/Pr2O3 without any dopant catalyzes ammonia synthesis under mild conditions at 1.8 times the rates reported with other highly active catalysts. Scanning transmission electron micrograph observations and energy dispersive X-ray analyses revealed the formation of low-crystalline nano-layers of ruthenium on the surface of Pr2O3. Furthermore, CO2 temperature-programmed desorption revealed that the catalyst was strongly basic. These unique structural and electronic characteristics are considered to synergistically accelerate the rate-determining step of NH3 synthesis, cleavage of the N[triple bond, length as m-dash]N bond. We expect that the use of this catalyst will be a starting point for achieving efficient ammonia synthesis.

Graphical abstract: A low-crystalline ruthenium nano-layer supported on praseodymium oxide as an active catalyst for ammonia synthesis

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Edge Article
Submitted
30 May 2016
Accepted
30 Aug 2016
First published
19 Sep 2016
This article is Open Access

All publication charges for this article have been paid for by the Royal Society of Chemistry
Creative Commons BY license

Chem. Sci., 2017,8, 674-679

Author version available

A low-crystalline ruthenium nano-layer supported on praseodymium oxide as an active catalyst for ammonia synthesis

K. Sato, K. Imamura, Y. Kawano, S. Miyahara, T. Yamamoto, S. Matsumura and K. Nagaoka, Chem. Sci., 2017, 8, 674 DOI: 10.1039/C6SC02382G

This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported Licence. You can use material from this article in other publications without requesting further permissions from the RSC, provided that the correct acknowledgement is given.

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