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Updated: May 25, 2026
Electrochemically and Bioelectrochemically Induced Ammonium Recovery
Published on: January 22, 2015
Study on Fe/BZY Cathode Catalysts for Intermediate-Temperature Electrochemical Ammonia Synthesis Using Solid
Shohei Tada1, Yamato Nakashima2, Shion Hatazawa2
1Division of Applied Chemistry, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan.
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Electrochemical NH3 synthesis was conducted at intermediate temperatures (ca. 220°C) using a cell with a Cs phosphate-based electrolyte. A Fe/BZY (yttrium-doped barium zirconate) cathode catalyst was developed by combining Fe2O3/BZY reduced at 500°C and 800°C in a 1:1 weight ratio, which enabled NH3 formation. Metallic Fe formed above 700°C was found to serve as an electronic conduction path in the cathode. Furthermore, K addition to the developed cathode enhanced the NH3 production rate to 1.3 × 10-10 mol s-1 cm-2 at -1.0 V (vs. OCV). This study demonstrates the first electrochemical NH3 synthesis using a base-metal cathode with a solid-state Cs phosphate electrolyte.
