Renewable N-cycle catalysis

N-cycle catalysis featuring the recycling of nitrogen with hydrogen in a chemical process could exert a profound impact on human society for the eventual sustainable production of foods, chemicals, and fuels. The challenges for materials required to perform efficient catalysis to activate N2 and renewable H2 to NH3 and for the reversible reaction to facilitate the storage and transport of renewable energies, in addition to coupling with fuel cells, are of paramount importance. In this review, we highlight and discuss the importance of the diverse position of NH3 as a fuel, fertilizer, and chemical vector. This review also provides an overview of the recent developments in ammonia synthesis and the decomposition of some promising materials and their prospects in these new processes. Ammonia as a green energy vector The discovery of Haber-Bosch (HB) ammonia production (see Glossary) from N2 in air and H2 from non-renewables (natural gas and coal) has triggered a population explosion since the early 20th century due to the increase in food availability stemming from nitrogen-based fertilizers [1,2]. Ammonia, if manufactured by renewable hydrogen, has recently been regarded as a promising energy vector. Particularly, the advent of water electrolysis technologies can potentially replace the heavily polluting steam reforming process, which allows green

Automated summary

N-cycle catalysis, utilizing nitrogen and hydrogen recycling in a chemical process, could have a profound impact on sustainable production of foods, chemicals, and fuels. Challenges for materials to efficiently catalyze the activation of N2 and renewable H2, as well as storing and transporting renewable energies, are of paramount importance. Highlighting the diverse roles of NH3 as fuel, fertilizer, and chemical vector, recent developments in ammonia synthesis and material decomposition for new processes are discussed.