Project Details
Projekt
Synergistic design of catalysts, electrodes, and process for electrochemical nitrogen reduction with carbon(nitride) stabilized zirconium nitride systems
Subject Area
Physical Chemistry of Solids and Surfaces, Material Characterisation
Term
since 2026
Project identifier
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 574610964
The research project pursues an approach to the development and integration of carbon(nitride)-stabilized zirconium nitride catalysts for electrochemical nitrogen reduction (eNRR) with the aim of sustainable ammonia synthesis. At the heart of the project is the development of carbon(nitride)-stabilized zirconium nitride catalysts, which are specifically optimized in their structure and function for use under technically relevant conditions. These catalysts are based on ZrN nanoparticles embedded in micro- and mesoporous carbon matrices and further stabilized by thin carbon nitride coatings. This materials design addresses one of the central challenges of eNRR: the activation of molecular nitrogen on stable, water-insoluble, and long-term stable catalyst surfaces. The use of zirconium nitride as the active center, combined with targeted surface functionalization and defect engineering, opens up new possibilities for leveraging the Mars-van-Krevelen mechanism and significantly increasing the selectivity and Faradaic efficiency of ammonia formation. In parallel to the development of advanced materials, the project also pioneers a reaction engineering approach that is novel for the field: the systematic testing of these catalysts in zero-gap cells under elevated nitrogen pressures. This combination of advanced catalyst architecture and state-of-the-art reactor technology is unique in eNRR research to date. While previous studies have mostly been limited to H-cells or simple flow cells operated at ambient pressure, the use of pressure-stable zero-gap electrolyzers allows for the evaluation of catalysts under realistic, industrially relevant conditions. By systematically increasing the nitrogen pressure - up to 80 bar - and precisely controlling temperature, gas flow, and electrolyte composition, the project enables, for the first time, a systematic and comparable investigation of mass transport phenomena, catalyst stability, and performance. This not only allows for a realistic assessment of the efficiency and long-term stability of the developed materials, but also the identification and optimization of structure–property relationships under technically relevant conditions. The project brings together two research strands that have so far largely developed independently: the targeted, materials development of high-performance catalysts, and the implementation of an innovative, pressure-based reactor concept for eNRR. Through this integration of catalyst and reactor design, the project aims to achieve an understanding of electrochemical nitrogen reduction across multiple length scales. The planned work will thus make a decisive contribution to overcoming the current limitations of eNRR and pave the way for the development of energy-efficient, scalable, and industrially applicable processes for sustainable ammonia synthesis.
DFG Programme
Priority Programmes
