Recent Progress and Perspective of Catalytic Ammonia Synthesis

Abstract

As a cornerstone of the global chemical industry and agriculture, ammonia (NH3) synthesis faces a pressing challenge for a sustainable future due to the harsh condition used and substantial CO2 emission in the conventional Haber-Bosch process. This has spurred extensive research into alternative pathways to moderate the operation conditions and to reduce carbon footprint. Diverse thermal catalysts, novel reaction routes and in-depth fundamental understanding have thus been explored over the past decades. This review highlights the progress of advanced catalysts and emerging mechanisms discovered in ammonia synthesis, that are pushing the boundaries of thermal catalytic nitrogen fixation. It is further provided a forward-looking perspective on the key challenges and emerging opportunities in future research directions, including AI-assisted discovery of catalysts, mechanistic analysis and ultimately achieving the green ammonia production from green hydrogen.