Rights statement: This is an author-created, un-copyedited version of an article accepted for publication/published in Plasma Sources Science and Technology. IOP Publishing Ltd is not responsible for any errors or omissions in this version of the manuscript or any version derived from it. The Version of Record is available online at doi: 10.1088/1361-6595/ab7f4d
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Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Sustainable nitrogen fixation from synergistic effect of photo-electrochemical water splitting and atmospheric pressure N2 plasma
AU - Lamichhane, P.
AU - Adhikari, B.C.
AU - Nguyen, L.N.
AU - Paneru, R.
AU - Ghimire, B.
AU - Mumtaz, S.
AU - Lim, J.S.
AU - Hong, Y.J.
AU - Choi, E.H.
N1 - This is an author-created, un-copyedited version of an article accepted for publication/published in Plasma Sources Science and Technology. IOP Publishing Ltd is not responsible for any errors or omissions in this version of the manuscript or any version derived from it. The Version of Record is available online at doi: 10.1088/1361-6595/ab7f4d
PY - 2020/4/22
Y1 - 2020/4/22
N2 - In this study, nitrogen fixation in the electrolyte was achieved by atmospheric pressure non-thermal plasma generated by a sinusoidal power supply (with an applied voltage of 10 kV and frequency of 33 kHz). Ammonia measurements on plasma exposed electrolyte at several working gas and purging gas conditions revealed that nitrogen plasma in the same gas environment is more favourable for plasma-assisted ammonia synthesis. In addition, photo-electrochemical water splitting was performed by irradiating UV light on a titanium dioxide semiconductor photo-anode to generate hydrogen donor in nitrogen reduction reaction. The amount of ammonia synthesized by this synergistic process of photo-electrochemical water splitting and nitrogen plasma is six times higher than that obtained by nitrogen plasma alone. An increase in the co-synthesized NOX concentrations and background contamination at reaction site reduces the ammonia synthesis rate and Faraday efficiency. However, the ammonia production efficiency was increased up to 72% by using a proton-exchange membrane which prevents the diffusion of oxygen evolved from water splitting into the plasma, and by reducing the axial distance between the plasma electrode and reaction site. The sustainable nitrogen fixation process reported herein can be performed at atmospheric pressure conditions without a direct input of hydrogen gas or any catalyst.
AB - In this study, nitrogen fixation in the electrolyte was achieved by atmospheric pressure non-thermal plasma generated by a sinusoidal power supply (with an applied voltage of 10 kV and frequency of 33 kHz). Ammonia measurements on plasma exposed electrolyte at several working gas and purging gas conditions revealed that nitrogen plasma in the same gas environment is more favourable for plasma-assisted ammonia synthesis. In addition, photo-electrochemical water splitting was performed by irradiating UV light on a titanium dioxide semiconductor photo-anode to generate hydrogen donor in nitrogen reduction reaction. The amount of ammonia synthesized by this synergistic process of photo-electrochemical water splitting and nitrogen plasma is six times higher than that obtained by nitrogen plasma alone. An increase in the co-synthesized NOX concentrations and background contamination at reaction site reduces the ammonia synthesis rate and Faraday efficiency. However, the ammonia production efficiency was increased up to 72% by using a proton-exchange membrane which prevents the diffusion of oxygen evolved from water splitting into the plasma, and by reducing the axial distance between the plasma electrode and reaction site. The sustainable nitrogen fixation process reported herein can be performed at atmospheric pressure conditions without a direct input of hydrogen gas or any catalyst.
KW - Ammonia synthesis
KW - Nitrogen fixation
KW - Nitrogen reduction reaction
KW - Non-thermal plasma
KW - Water splitting
KW - Ammonia
KW - Atmospheric pressure
KW - Efficiency
KW - Electrodes
KW - Electrolytes
KW - Hydrogen production
KW - Kinetic theory
KW - Magnetic semiconductors
KW - Nitrogen plasma
KW - Titanium dioxide
KW - Ammonia measurements
KW - Ammonia production
KW - Diffusion of oxygens
KW - Faraday efficiency
KW - Nitrogen reduction
KW - Proton exchange membranes
KW - Synergistic effect
KW - Titanium dioxide semiconductors
U2 - 10.1088/1361-6595/ab7f4d
DO - 10.1088/1361-6595/ab7f4d
M3 - Journal article
VL - 29
JO - Plasma Sources Science and Technology
JF - Plasma Sources Science and Technology
SN - 0963-0252
IS - 4
M1 - 045026
ER -