Enhancing Ammonia Synthesis Using Calcium Hydride, Calcium Nitride, and Lithium Hydride as a Catalyst inside a Dielectric Barrier Discharge Plasma Reactor

Ammonia generation is a critical part of the world’s development and sustainability. It has vital uses in both agriculture as a fertilizer and renewable fuel as hydrogen storage. Its current synthesis method, the Haber-Bosch process, has long been used to generate the highly demanded compound. However, its environmental impacts have led to a search for more sustainable ways to produce ammonia. The research presented here focuses on one such alternative, plasma synthesized ammonia enhanced with a catalyst. The energetic environment found in electrically created plasma has been shown to replicate the harsh conditions conventionally used, while requiring less energy and the possibility of small-scale production.

In this work, three catalysts are tested which have never been directly applied to plasma synthesis. They are calcium hydride, calcium nitride, and lithium hydride. Each possess qualities such as reactive metals and hydrogen/nitrogen adsorption which could lend themselves to ammonia synthesis. Characterization of each catalyst takes place inside a dielectric barrier discharge plasma reactor to quantify synthesis levels. It is also investigated how changing reactor conditions, such as flow ratio and plasma power level, alter the synthesis. The goal is to determine the best producing catalyst and the reaction environment leading to optimal synthesis. A plasma reactor is designed, and quantification is done with chromatography, spectroscopy, and laser diagnostics.