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Review | Open Access

Lithium-mediated electrochemical dinitrogen reduction reaction

Muhammad Saqlain Iqbalb,†, Yukun Ruana,†, Ramsha Iftikharc, Faiza Zahid Khand, Weixiang Lia, Leiduan Haoa(), Alex W. Robertsone, Gianluca Percocof, Zhenyu Suna()
State Key Laboratory of Organic–Inorganic Composites, College of Chemical Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, P. R. China
Department of Electrical and Information Engineering, Polytechnic University of Bari, Via E. Orabona 4, 70125 Bari, Italy
School of Chemistry, University of New South Wales, 2033 Sydney, Australia
Institute of Chemistry, Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn, 53113 Bonn, Germany
Department of Physics, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK
Department of Mechanics, Mathematics and Management, Polytechnic University of Bari, Via E. Orabona 4, 70125 Bari, Italy

† These authors contributed equally to this work.

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An erratum to this article is available online at:
https://doi.org/10.1039/d3im90006a

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Abstract

The Haber–Bosch process is the dominant approach for NH3 production today, but the process has to be maintained at energy-intensive high temperatures and pressures. Li-mediated electrocatalytic dinitrogen reduction reaction (eN2RR) could instead enable sustainable and green NH3 production at ambient conditions. Lithium mediators realize the synthesis of NH3 via the formation of Li3N, and thus lower the energy required for the direct cleavage of N2. There has now been a surge of interest in devising approaches to optimize the NH3 yield rate and faradaic efficiency of the eN2RR process by employing different catalysts as well as electrolytes. This review discusses the recent advances in the field of the Li-mediated eN2RR along with the latest insights into the proposed catalytic mechanisms. Moreover, it also highlights the state-of-the-art reported electrocatalysts and electrolytes that have revolutionized the field of the Li-mediated eN2RR. In addition to the above, our review provides a critical overview of certain limitations and a future prospectus that will provide a way forward to explore this area.

Keywords

Nitrogen reduction reactionAmmoniaElectrocatalysisLithiumReaction mechanism

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Industrial Chemistry & Materials
Volume 1 Issue 4,
November 2023
Pages 563-581
DOI: 10.1039/d3im00006k
Cite this article:
Iqbal MS, Ruan Y, Iftikhar R, et al. Lithium-mediated electrochemical dinitrogen reduction reaction. Industrial Chemistry & Materials, 2023, 1(4): 563-581. https://doi.org/10.1039/d3im00006k
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