Is Ethanol Essential for the Lithium-Mediated Nitrogen Reduction Reaction?

In this study, we investigate the role of ethanol as a proton shuttle in an electrolyte containing tetrahydrofuran and 0.2 M lithium perchlorate. Particularly designed electrochemical experiments show that ethanol is necessary for a good solid-electrolyte interphase but not for the synthesis of ammonia. In addition, electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance (EQCM) demonstrates that the SEI formation at the onset of lithium plating is of specific importance. Chemical batch synthesis of ammonia combined with real-time mass spectrometry confirms that protons can be shuttled from the anode to the cathode by other species even without ethanol. Moreover, it raises questions regarding the electrochemical nature of Li-NRR. Finally, we discuss electrolyte stability and electrochemical electrode potentials, highlighting the role of ethanol on electrolyte degradation.PMID:37681646 | DOI:10.1002/cssc.202301011

Source: ChemSusChem - September 8, 2023 Category: Chemistry Authors: Jon Bjarke Valbaek Mygind Jakob B Pedersen Katja Li Niklas H Deissler Mattia Saccoccio Xianbiao Fu Shaofeng Li Rokas Sa žinas Suzanne Z Andersen Kasper Enemark-Rasmussen Peter C K Vesborg Jakob Doganli-Kibsgaard Ib Chorkendorff Source Type: research