Non-catalyzed one-step synthesis of ammonia from atmospheric air and water

It is well known that ammonia is produced through a catalytic reaction at high temperature and pressure from pure nitrogen and hydrogen. This catalytic chemical process is a massive and high-energy-consuming process, but a very important one for nitrogen fixation. Here, we show a non-catalyzed one-step synthesis of ammonia from atmospheric air (nitrogen source) and water (hydrogen source), based on an interfacial reaction between the air plasma gas phase and the water phase, at 25 degrees C and atmospheric pressure. In the plasma/liquid interfacial reaction (P/L reaction), atomic nitrogen in both air plasma and nitrogen plasma first abstracts hydrogen from the water phase surface at the P/L interface, and then NH is produced without any catalyst. Transiently formed NH is reduced further at the water phase, affording NH3, which then dissolves in the water phase. The P/L reaction may provide an alternative solution that enables both energy conservation and CO2 emission reduction.