Solar-Powered Gram-Scale Ammonia Production from Nitrate

Paulraj Gnanasekar; Karthik Peramaiah; Huafan Zhang; Ibrahim G. Alsayoud; Anand S. Subbiah; Maxime Babics; Tien Khee Ng; Qiaoqiang Gan; Stefaan De Wolf; Kuo Wei Huang; Boon S. Ooi

doi:10.1002/smll.202404249

Solar-Powered Gram-Scale Ammonia Production from Nitrate

Paulraj Gnanasekar, Karthik Peramaiah, Huafan Zhang, Ibrahim G. Alsayoud, Anand S. Subbiah, Maxime Babics, Tien Khee Ng, Qiaoqiang Gan, Stefaan De Wolf^*, Kuo Wei Huang^*, Boon S. Ooi^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

The photoelectrochemical (PEC) method has the potential to be an attractive route for converting and storing solar energy as chemical bonds. In this study, a maximum NH₃ production yield of 1.01 g L⁻¹ with a solar-to-ammonia conversion efficiency of 8.17% through the photovoltaic electrocatalytic (PV-EC) nitrate (NO₃⁻) reduction reaction (NO₃⁻RR) is achieved, using silicon heterojunction solar cell technology. Additionally, the effect of tuning the operation potential of the PV-EC system and its influence on product selectivity are systematically investigated. By using this unique external resistance tuning approach in the PV-EC system, ammonia production through nitrate reduction performance from 96 to 360 mg L⁻¹ is enhanced, a four-fold increase. Furthermore, the NH₃ is extracted as NH₄Cl powder using acid stripping, which is essential for storing chemical energy. This work demonstrates the possibility of tuning product selectivity in PV-EC systems, with prospects toward pilot scale on value-added product synthesis.

Original language	English (US)
Article number	2404249
Journal	Small
Volume	20
Issue number	43
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1002/smll.202404249
State	Published - Oct 24 2024

Keywords

ammonia
faradic efficiency
nitrate reduction
operational potential
photovoltaic electrocatalytic
product selectivity
self-powered

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Biotechnology
General Chemistry
Biomaterials
General Materials Science
Engineering (miscellaneous)

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access to Document

10.1002/smll.202404249

Cite this

@article{677718a659c54696938ff9c9d83550f7,

title = "Solar-Powered Gram-Scale Ammonia Production from Nitrate",

abstract = "The photoelectrochemical (PEC) method has the potential to be an attractive route for converting and storing solar energy as chemical bonds. In this study, a maximum NH3 production yield of 1.01 g L−1 with a solar-to-ammonia conversion efficiency of 8.17% through the photovoltaic electrocatalytic (PV-EC) nitrate (NO3−) reduction reaction (NO3−RR) is achieved, using silicon heterojunction solar cell technology. Additionally, the effect of tuning the operation potential of the PV-EC system and its influence on product selectivity are systematically investigated. By using this unique external resistance tuning approach in the PV-EC system, ammonia production through nitrate reduction performance from 96 to 360 mg L−1 is enhanced, a four-fold increase. Furthermore, the NH3 is extracted as NH4Cl powder using acid stripping, which is essential for storing chemical energy. This work demonstrates the possibility of tuning product selectivity in PV-EC systems, with prospects toward pilot scale on value-added product synthesis.",

keywords = "ammonia, faradic efficiency, nitrate reduction, operational potential, photovoltaic electrocatalytic, product selectivity, self-powered",

author = "Paulraj Gnanasekar and Karthik Peramaiah and Huafan Zhang and Alsayoud, {Ibrahim G.} and Subbiah, {Anand S.} and Maxime Babics and Ng, {Tien Khee} and Qiaoqiang Gan and {De Wolf}, Stefaan and Huang, {Kuo Wei} and Ooi, {Boon S.}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2024 Wiley-VCH GmbH.",

year = "2024",

month = oct,

day = "24",

doi = "10.1002/smll.202404249",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "20",

journal = "Small",

issn = "1613-6810",

publisher = "Wiley",

number = "43",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Solar-Powered Gram-Scale Ammonia Production from Nitrate

AU - Gnanasekar, Paulraj

AU - Peramaiah, Karthik

AU - Zhang, Huafan

AU - Alsayoud, Ibrahim G.

AU - Subbiah, Anand S.

AU - Babics, Maxime

AU - Ng, Tien Khee

AU - Gan, Qiaoqiang

AU - De Wolf, Stefaan

AU - Huang, Kuo Wei

AU - Ooi, Boon S.

PY - 2024/10/24

Y1 - 2024/10/24

N2 - The photoelectrochemical (PEC) method has the potential to be an attractive route for converting and storing solar energy as chemical bonds. In this study, a maximum NH3 production yield of 1.01 g L−1 with a solar-to-ammonia conversion efficiency of 8.17% through the photovoltaic electrocatalytic (PV-EC) nitrate (NO3−) reduction reaction (NO3−RR) is achieved, using silicon heterojunction solar cell technology. Additionally, the effect of tuning the operation potential of the PV-EC system and its influence on product selectivity are systematically investigated. By using this unique external resistance tuning approach in the PV-EC system, ammonia production through nitrate reduction performance from 96 to 360 mg L−1 is enhanced, a four-fold increase. Furthermore, the NH3 is extracted as NH4Cl powder using acid stripping, which is essential for storing chemical energy. This work demonstrates the possibility of tuning product selectivity in PV-EC systems, with prospects toward pilot scale on value-added product synthesis.

AB - The photoelectrochemical (PEC) method has the potential to be an attractive route for converting and storing solar energy as chemical bonds. In this study, a maximum NH3 production yield of 1.01 g L−1 with a solar-to-ammonia conversion efficiency of 8.17% through the photovoltaic electrocatalytic (PV-EC) nitrate (NO3−) reduction reaction (NO3−RR) is achieved, using silicon heterojunction solar cell technology. Additionally, the effect of tuning the operation potential of the PV-EC system and its influence on product selectivity are systematically investigated. By using this unique external resistance tuning approach in the PV-EC system, ammonia production through nitrate reduction performance from 96 to 360 mg L−1 is enhanced, a four-fold increase. Furthermore, the NH3 is extracted as NH4Cl powder using acid stripping, which is essential for storing chemical energy. This work demonstrates the possibility of tuning product selectivity in PV-EC systems, with prospects toward pilot scale on value-added product synthesis.

KW - ammonia

KW - faradic efficiency

KW - nitrate reduction

KW - operational potential

KW - photovoltaic electrocatalytic

KW - product selectivity

KW - self-powered

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85197314868&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1002/smll.202404249

DO - 10.1002/smll.202404249

M3 - Article

C2 - 38953366

AN - SCOPUS:85197314868

SN - 1613-6810

VL - 20

JO - Small

JF - Small

IS - 43

M1 - 2404249

ER -

Solar-Powered Gram-Scale Ammonia Production from Nitrate

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

UN SDGs

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this