Plasma N2-fixation: 1900-2014

Nitrogen is the most basic element responsible for the growth of living creatures on earth. Chemical nitrogen fixation process is one of the most important chemical processes, which sustains the growing global population. Wherein the life changing Haber-Bosch process comes into the picture, which produces more than 130 million tons of ammonia per year by consuming similar to 1-2% of the world's total energy consumption and sustains similar to 40% of the world's population. Several efforts have been invested to develop an energy efficient alternative to this not-so-environmentally-friendly process. Nitric oxide and ammonia synthesis, with plasma as an alternative energy form, have been investigated extensively over the last 100 years. This review covers the important findings in the field of plasma nitrogen fixation and critically analyzes the studies reported from 1900 to 2014. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.