【講座主題】Ammonia as Chemical Energy Carrier: Electro-Catalytic Synthesis and Decomposition
【講座時(shí)間】2026年3月26日 14：00-15：00
【講座地點(diǎn)】主樓D260
【主講人】Olaf Deutschmann 教授
【主講人簡(jiǎn)介】Olaf Deutschmann，德國(guó)卡爾斯魯厄理工學(xué)院（KIT）化工技術(shù)講席教授，化學(xué)技術(shù)與聚合物化學(xué)研究所主任，國(guó)際燃燒學(xué)會(huì)會(huì)士。1996年于海德堡大學(xué)化學(xué)系獲得博士學(xué)位，2001年獲得海德堡大學(xué)物理化學(xué)任教資格。曾先后在海德堡大學(xué)、美國(guó)明尼蘇達(dá)大學(xué)、洛斯阿拉莫斯國(guó)家實(shí)驗(yàn)室及卡爾斯魯厄大學(xué)工作，2006年至今任職于卡爾斯魯厄理工學(xué)院。研究聚焦環(huán)境友好和氣候友好的新型化工技術(shù)，涵蓋無碳化學(xué)儲(chǔ)能載體、燃料電池與電解池、反應(yīng)工程、非均相催化、材料合成及多相流等方向。創(chuàng)建多相化學(xué)反應(yīng)流模擬軟件DETCHEM，獲Max Buchner研究基金大獎(jiǎng)。已發(fā)表SCI論文370余篇，被引超17500次，受邀作學(xué)術(shù)報(bào)告和講座100余次。
【講座內(nèi)容】
Ammonia as Chemical Energy Carrier: Electro-Catalytic Synthesis and Decomposition
Olaf Deutschmann, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)，Germany
deutschmann@kit.edu
The talk focuses on alternative electro- and thermo-catalytic pathways for the production and decomposition of ammonia related to its use as carrier of renewable energy. Recent advances in electrocatalytic ammonia synthesis in proton-conducting ceramic cells (PCCs) are discussed with a focus on iron- and ruthenium- based electrodes [1]. The effects of temperature, gas flow, voltage, and electrolyte thickness on electrochemical ammonia synthesis are investigated. To differentiate the various effects and mechanisms contributing to the electrocatalytic formation of NH3, different gas flow configurations are studied. The experimental results demonstrate that NH3 formation is primarily governed by the applied cell voltage, while the current density plays only a minor role. A strong interaction between electro- and thermo-catalytic reactions occurs.
Figure 1: Schematic representation of reactions occurring at a proton-conducting ceramic cell that either contribute to NH3 synthesis or compete with it. The reactions take place simultaneously; adapted from [1].
Co-feeding H2 at the cathode proved advantageous for optimizing reaction conditions and increasing ammonia synthesis rates to values of 3×10?8 mol s?1 cm?2 using a PCC with an iron based electrode of an active area of 12.57 cm2; both values are much higher than reported in literature before.
Also, decomposition of NH3 to H2 can be conducted in PCC. In all cases both electro- and thermos-catalytic processes have to be understood [2]. The combination of thermo-catalytic and electrochemically supported ammonia synthesis and decomposition opens new pathways for the electrification of NH3 production using the rather inexpensive material iron and the use of NH3 as hydrogen carrier.
[1] P. Blanck, E.P. Martin, D. Schmider, J. Dailly, R.J. Kee, O. Deutschmann. Electrochemical Ammonia Synthesis in a Proton-conducting Ceramic Cell: A Parameter Study of an Iron-based Electrode. J. Electrochem. Soc. (2025) DOI: 10.1149/1945-7111/adfc9e.
[2] S. Davari, R. Chacko, T. Bastek, P. Lott, J. Dailly, S. Angeli, O. Deutschmann. Experimental and Microkinetic Investigation of Thermo-Catalytic Ammonia Decomposition over a Ba-promoted Ru/Ni BCZY Catalyst for Use in Ammonia-fed Protonic Ceramic Cells. Appl. Catal. A. 708 (2025) 120571. DOI:10.1016/j.apcata.2025.120571.