Electrochemical Synthesis of Ammonia Directly fromWet N2 Using La0.6Sr0.4Fe0.8Cu0.2O3-δ-Ce0.8Gd0.18Ca0.02O2-δ Composite Catalyst.

La_0.6Sr_0.4Fe_0.8Cu_0.2O_3-δ was prepared via combined EDTA-citrate complexing sol-gel process, characterized by X-ray diffraction and SEM. Ammonia synthesis was successfully synthesized directly from wet nitrogen based on an electrolytic cell using La_0.6Sr_0.4Fe_0.8Cu_0.2O_3-δ-Ce_0.8Gd_0.18Ca_0.02O2-δ composite cathode, Ce_0.8Gd_0.18Ca_0.02O_2-δ-(Li/Na/K)₂CO₃ composite electrolyte and Sm_0.5Sr_0.5CoO_3-δ-Ce_0.8Gd_0.18Ca_0.02O_2-δ composite anode. The O^2- conduction of the composite electrolyte was used for ammonia synthesis. The maximum ammonia formation rate of 5 x 10^-11 mol s^-1 cm^-2 was observed at 400°C when a voltage of 1.4 V was applied which is two orders of magnitude higher than that of previous report when ammonia was synthesized from N₂ and H₂O at 650°C. Besides ammonia, hydrogen is also co-generated at the cathode. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]