Filling the void in ammonia synthesis: The role of nitrogen vacancies in catalysts – Phys.org

Scientists at Tokyo Institute of Technology (Tokyo Tech) explore how nitrogen vacancies in catalysts participate in the synthesis of ammonia, a pivotal chemical in the fertilizer industry. They devised a general rule for the smart design of nitride-based catalysts based on their nitrogen vacancy formation energy and created a high performing catalyst for ammonia synthesis using cerium, an abundant transition metal.
Ammonia (NH3) is a naturally occurring chemical in the environment, but its wide…

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