The pitfalls in electrocatalytic nitrogen reduction for ammonia synthesis

Ammonia synthesis by electrocatalytic nitrogen reduction reaction (EC-NRR) has gained momentum in recent years fueled by its potential to operate at ambient conditions, unlike the highly energy intensive yet long-standing Haber-Bosch process. However, the large disparity of the yields and Faradic efficiencies reported for EC-NRR raises serious concerns about the reliability of the experimental results. In this perspective, we elaborate on the potential sources of error when assessing EC-NRR and update the testing protocols to circumvent them, and more importantly, we pose a general call for consensus on ammonia production analysis and reporting to lay the solid foundations that this burgeoning field requires to thrive. (c) 2021 Science Press and Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Published by ELSEVIER B.V. and Science Press. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

Studying the feasibility and reliability of EC-NRR for synthesizing ammonia, as well as establishing accurate testing protocols and consensus, are the key focuses of current research on ammonia production analysis.