SPP 2370:  Interlinking catalysts, mechanisms and reactor concepts for the conversion of dinitrogen by electrocatalytic, photocatalytic and photoelectrocatalytic methods (“Nitroconversion”)

• Subject Area: Chemistry
• Term: since 2022
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 460921994

The PP2370 Nitroconversion focuses on the development of heterogeneous electrocatalytic, photocatalytic, and photoelectrochemical N2 conversion reactions for delocalized and sustainable N2 conversion pathways. This will be achieved by getting insights into structure/activity relationships for catalysts including experimental and theoretical design strategies, developing novel reactor and electrode concepts to overcome N2 mass transfer limitations, and by using novel analytical techniques to get insights into underlying mechanisms to be able to design catalysts rationally, and to develop new reaction pathways. It is explicitly not limited to N2 conversion to NH3 but will also include research on oxidative conversions. The PP2370 aims for the systematic analysis and improvement of an overall process of N2 conversion. Only strong collaborative and interdisciplinary efforts coordinated in the PP2370 can pave the way for such a development. Especially the importance of implementation of reaction engineering right in the development of the fundamental processes cannot be stressed enough.After starting the PP a steering committee will be established representing the different duties, responsibilities and knowledge within the PP2370. This committee will support the coordinator in the definition and realization of cooperative research actions within the PP. Regular workshops, seminars and an active people exchange shall foster the interdisciplinary character of the PP. For the exchange with international scientists, an international conference/symposium will be organizing at the end of the first funding period.

• DFG Programme: Priority Programmes
• International Connection: China, Czech Republic, France, Iceland, USA

Projects

• Ammonia on demand: Catalytic N2 reduction on photo-charged tailored TiO2 aerogels (Applicants Marschall, Roland ;  Milow, Barbara ;  Ziegenbalg, Dirk )
• Coordination Funds (Applicant Marschall, Roland )
• Diamond-based materials for the photoelectrocatalytic reduction of molecular nitrogen (Applicants Klemm, Elias ;  Krüger, Anke ;  Risch, Marcel )
• Electro- and Photocatalytic N2 conversion with transition metal chalcogenides over 2D and 3D structured electrodes (NI-CONSTRUCT) (Applicants Balducci, Andrea ;  Marschall, Roland ;  Roth, Christina )
• Exploring proton conductivity in solid state electrolytes for efficient low-temperature electrochemical ammonia synthesis (Applicants Mollenhauer, Doreen ;  Siegmund, Daniel ;  Zeier, Wolfgang )
• Gas-solid photocatalytic oxidation of dinitrogen to nitrogen oxides: Mechanism and kinetics (Applicants Bacher, Gerd ;  Bloh, Jonathan ;  Strunk, Jennifer )
• Integrating polyoxometalate-single atom catalyst based (photo-) electrodes in flow reactors for reductive and oxidative nitrogen activation (Applicants Streb, Carsten ;  Ziegenbalg, Dirk )
• Investigation of photocatalytic and photothermocatalytic ammonia production from molecular nitrogen and water under elevated temperature and pressure conditions (Applicants Bloh, Jonathan ;  Rose, Marcus )
• Photocatalytic Redox-neutral Aryl-diazene Synthesis via Dinitrogen Fixation (Applicants Krüger, Anke ;  König, Burkhard )
• Photoelectrochemical continuous flow N2 fixation into high value small organic molecules (Applicants Barham, Ph.D., Joshua Philip ;  Giusto, Ph.D., Paolo )
• Photoelectrochemical Nitrogen Reduction: Activity, Selectivity and Stability of Cu-based Ternary Oxide Photocathodes (Applicants Jacob, Timo ;  Sharp, Ph.D., Ian D. ;  Zhang, Siyuan )
• Surface engineered metal nitrides for genuine nitrogen Reduction – SUNRed (Applicants Devi, Anjana ;  Harms, Corinna ;  Wark, Michael )

• Spokesperson: Professor Dr. Roland Marschall