U.S.-Argentina Cooperative Research on In Situ Study by Synchrotron Radiation of the Structure of the Ammonia Synthesis Catalyst

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This award supports cooperative research on ammonia synthesis catalysts to be conducted by Dr. Michel Boudart of Stanford University and Prof. Daniel Loffler of the University of Mar del Plata, Argentina. Ammonia is synthesized on reduced-iron catalysts. Even a small improvement in the process would have considerable economic impact as the need for nitrogen fertilizers grows with the need to feed a growing world population. In this work, commercial catalysts will be characterized using an array of modern techniques including Auger and Mossbauer spectroscopies, and electron microscopy. X-ray absorption (XAS) will be used to study the structure of the catalysts in situ while the reaction is taking place. A better understanding of the catalyst will help the formulation of better catalysts. The ex-situ (Auger, SEM and Mossbauer) characterization will take place in Argentina and the XAS work will be done at Stanford. In this way the facilities of each laboratory will complement those of the other. Both of the researchers have had extensive research experience in catalysis: Dr. Boudart particularly in ammonia synthesis and XAS techniques and Prof. Loffler in the other techniques and in ammonia synthesis, as well. Therefore, they will benefit from each other's expertise and from the shared laboratory capabilities.