CAtalysts for AmMOnia OXidation – CAMOolOX

The project focuses on the design of molecular catalysts for the oxidation of ammonia. This field is part of the recent emergence of ammonia as an alternative energy carrier to hydrogen. Indeed, ammonia is produced on a large scale (150 Mt/year), it has a high energy density of 11.5 MJ L-1 (compared to 4.5 MJ L-1 for H2 at 690 bars), transport infrastructures are in place, and it can be stored in liquid or solid form at a lower cost than hydrogen.
The aim is to design molecular complexes based on non-critical metals, which can be subsequently grafted onto electrode materials (carbon nanotubes). This will involve a multi-step synthesis of ligands, their metallation, and the characterization of complexes, particularly adducts with ammonia, using various spectroscopic techniques. Catalytic activity will be addressed through electrochemical techniques (cyclic voltammetry, electrolysis) and analysis of reaction products. Modeling of cyclic voltammetry curves and theoretical chemistry (DFT) will help propose catalytic mechanisms to better understand this complex reaction from a fundamental perspective, as it involves the transfer of 6 protons and 6 electrons, with the formation of a NN bond. This data will also help rationalize the design of these catalysts, which is still in its early stages.
Ultimately, this project aims to address a major societal challenge with the tools of molecular chemistry, to unite and assert communities around a theme that is still underdeveloped, and to lay the groundwork for the design of catalysts and electrode materials for ammonia fuel cells.