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A Novel Bubble-based Microreactor for Enhanced Mass Transfer Dynamics toward Efficient Electrocatalytic Nitrogen
Hengyuan Liu1, Yingzhe Liu1, Xude Yu1
1The State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, Department of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, P. R. China.
Small (Weinheim an Der Bergstrasse, Germany)
|November 22, 2023
Summary
A novel bubble-based microreactor enhances electrocatalytic nitrogen reduction reaction (eNRR) for sustainable ammonia production. This microfluidic strategy significantly boosts ammonia yield by improving nitrogen mass transfer.
Area of Science:
- Electrochemistry
- Chemical Engineering
- Materials Science
Background:
- Electrocatalytic nitrogen reduction reaction (eNRR) is crucial for sustainable ammonia synthesis.
- Improving nitrogen (N2) mass transfer is a key challenge in eNRR due to N2's low solubility and diffusion rate.
- Current eNRR research primarily focuses on electrocatalyst development, often overlooking mass transfer limitations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a novel bubble-based microreactor (BBMR) to enhance mass transfer for eNRR.
- To investigate the impact of microfluidic strategies on eNRR performance.
- To demonstrate improved ammonia yield through optimized mass transfer dynamics.
Main Methods:
- Design and fabrication of a bubble-based microreactor (BBMR) utilizing microfluidic principles.
- Experimental investigation of eNRR performance using Ag nanoparticles, Ru/C, and Fe/g-CN catalysts within the BBMR.
- Computational simulations to analyze mass transfer behavior and validate experimental findings.
- Comparison of BBMR performance against conventional H-cell configurations.
Main Results:
- The BBMR demonstrated significantly enhanced mass transfer dynamics due to abundant triphasic interfaces and spatial confinement.
- Ammonia yield using Ag nanoparticles in the BBMR increased to 31.35 µg h⁻¹ mg⁻¹cat., doubling the yield compared to an H-cell.
- Substantial improvements in ammonia yield were observed with Ru/C (5.0 times increase) and Fe/g-CN (8.5 times increase) catalysts in the BBMR.
- Experimental and simulation studies confirmed the positive effect of the BBMR on mass transfer and eNRR performance.
Conclusions:
- Mass transfer is a critical factor influencing electrocatalytic nitrogen reduction reaction efficiency.
- The developed bubble-based microreactor (BBMR) effectively overcomes mass transfer limitations in eNRR.
- This microfluidic approach offers a promising strategy for enhancing sustainable ammonia production through improved reactor design.
