PLASMA-N-ACT Project

Towards a better understanding of the activation of nitrogen under plasma for the production of NH₃

Ammonia is a key ingredient in fertilisers and an essential component in the production of chemicals (urea, ammonium salts, etc.), with global production of over 220 million tonnes a year. Thanks to advances in the production of hydrogen by electrolysis, ammonia is now being considered as a vector for transporting hydrogen because of its high energy density (5.2 kWh/kg) and high hydrogen content (17.6% by weight), as well as the fact that it is easy to break down and recover.

Currently, more than 96% of ammonia is produced by the Haber-Bosch process, an energy-intensive process requiring severe conditions (T > 500°C, P > 150 bar). This process accounts for 2.4% of global fossil fuel consumption, with an annual carbon footprint of 1.2% of global CO₂ emissions.

The PLASMA-N-ACT project is exploring a promising alternative using non-thermal plasma-assisted catalysis to synthesise ammonia. This process, which is suitable for decentralised and intermittent production from renewable energies, offers a number of advantages:

Low temperature and low pressure operation.

No thermodynamic limitations.

High conversion rates thanks to the facilitated dissociation of N≡N bonds by the plasma.

The project aims to develop advanced composite catalysts (rare earth nitrides, transition metals, alkaline promoters) to stabilise the reactive species and improve plasma performance. It will address key issues such as critical catalyst properties, synthesis kinetics and activation mechanisms, using in situ measurements and molecular modelling. PLASMA-N-ACT aims to optimise this approach to rival the Haber-Bosch process in terms of energy, economic and environmental efficiency.