Engineering Nanostructured Photocatalysts for Sustainable Nitrogen Fertilizer Synthesis

Presenter

Claire Walko

Campus

UMass Amherst

Sponsor

Nianqiang Wu, Department of Chemical Engineering, UMass Amherst

Schedule

Session 4, 2:30 PM - 3:15 PM [Schedule by Time][Poster Grid for Time/Location]

Location

Poster Board A69, Campus Center Auditorium, Row 4 (A61-A80) [Poster Location Map]

Abstract

Photocatalysts have presented a promising new approach to green ammonia synthesis. Ammonia is one of the world’s most socially valuable chemicals, serving as the primary component in fertilizer and also as a future fuel and energy source. Currently, ammonia is made on an industrial scale via the energy- and carbon-intensive Haber-Bosch process, which accounts for about 2% of the world’s yearly energy supply and 1.8% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Photocatalysts produce ammonia using only light, water, and ambient air, providing a sustainable alternative to current practices. This project aims to design and characterize bismuth-, iron-, and cobalt-doped antimony-molybdate photocatalysts for sustainable ammonia synthesis. Nano-sheet or nano-rod shaped photocatalysts are made through morphology-controlled hydrothermal synthesis and are characterized through UV-Vis spectroscopy, Mott-Schottky testing, SEM imaging, and X-ray diffraction analysis. In addition, nitrogen reduction reactions are performed to evaluate the efficacy of each photocatalyst and compare solar energy conversion efficiency. So far, bismuth-doped photocatalysts have proven ineffective at improving ammonia production. Overall, this project provides further insight into metal doping strategies for photocatalyst synthesis and helps advance research into green ammonia. 

Keywords

sustainability, catalysis, ammonia, semiconductor

Research Area

Chemistry and Materials Science

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