Preparation, proton conduction, and application in ammonia synthesis at atmospheric pressure of La0.9Ba0.1Ga1-xMgxO3-α

La0.9Ba0.1Ga1-x Mg (x) O3-alpha (0 <= x <= 0.25) was prepared by the microemulsion method. A single phase of LaGaO3 perovskite structure was formed when x was >= 0.15. Electrochemical hydrogen permeation (hydrogen pumping) proved that La0.9Ba0.1Ga1-x Mg O-x(3-alpha) had proton conduction, and the proton conduction was measured by AC impedance spectroscopy method from 400 to 800 degrees C in hydrogen atmospheres. Among these samples, La0.9Ba0.1Ga0.8Mg0.2O3-alpha has the highest proton conductivity with the values of 9.51 x 10(-4) to 4.68 x 10(-2) S cm(-1) at 400-800 degrees C. Ammonia was synthesized from nitrogen and hydrogen at atmospheric pressure in an electrolytic cell using La0.9Ba0.1Ga0.8Mg0.2O3-alpha as electrolyte. The rate of NH3 formation was 1.89 x 10(-9) mol s(-1) cm(-2) at 520 degrees C upon imposing a current of 1 mA through the cell.