Cathode catalysis performance of SmBaCuMO5+δ (M=Fe, Co, Ni) in ammonia synthesis

The SmBaCuMO5+δ(M=Fe, Co, Ni) (SBCM) powders were synthesized by the citrate sol-gel method and the powders were sintered to ceramic pellets. The powders and sintered ceramic pellets were characterized with XRD, TEM and SEM measurements. The cathode catalytic performances of SBCM ceramic pellets for ammonia synthesis were studied from wet hydrogen and dry nitrogen at atmospheric pressure and low temperature, using SBCM ceramic pellets as cathode, Nafion proton exchange membrane as electrolyte, Ni-Ce0.8Sm0.2O2-δ(Ni-SDC) ceramic pellet as anode and silver-platinum as current collector. The results indicated that ammonia was synthesized from 25 to 95 °C, the yield of ammonia was up to 8.7×10−9 mol/(cm2·s) at 80 °C when SmBaCuNiO5+δ ceramic pellet was used as cathode.