Can nitrogen fixation be done cheaply at ambient conditions?
Category: Chemistry
Status: Queued
Industrial ammonia synthesis via the Haber-Bosch process consumes about 1-2% of the world's energy supply and runs at high temperature and pressure. Biological nitrogen fixation by the nitrogenase enzyme achieves the same conversion at ambient conditions.
Replicating this efficiency in a synthetic catalyst would transform fertiliser production and agriculture. Numerous homogeneous and electrochemical catalysts have been demonstrated, but none are practical at scale.
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