Method for producing ammonia nitrogen

Abstract

A method for producing ammoniacal nitrogen by feeding an electrochemical cell with dinitrogen (N2), the electrochemical cell including at least one working electrode immersed in a composition including at least one compound (I) containing at least one element from group 13 of the periodic table, and at least one counter electrode; and an electrochemical cell for the reduction of dinitrogen into ammoniacal nitrogen.

1 - 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . A method for producing ammoniacal nitrogen, the ammoniacal nitrogen being selected from ammonium (NH 4   + ), ammonia (NH 3 ), and mixtures thereof, comprising:
 i) a step of feeding an electrochemical cell with dinitrogen (N 2 ), said electrochemical cell comprising at least one working electrode immersed in a composition maintained under stirring, and at least one counter electrode, said composition comprising at least one electrolyte solution and at least one compound responding to a following formula (I): R 1 R 2 MY (I), wherein:
 M is an element from group 13 of the periodic table, 
 R 1  and R 2 , identical or different, are chosen from an alkyl group, an aryl group, an aryl-alkyl group, an —OR group, and an —SR group, R being an alkyl group, an aryl group, or an aryl-alkyl group, and 
 Y is a group selected from a halogen —X, an —OR 3  group, an —SR 3  group, a triflate group, a mesylate group and a triflimidate group, R 3  being an alkyl group, an aryl group or an aryl-alkyl group, 
   ii) a step of applying a potential difference between the working electrode and the counter electrode, or of applying a potential or a current to the working electrode, and   iii) a step of acid hydrolysis of the composition.   
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the element M is chosen from boron, aluminum and a mixture thereof. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the two groups R 1  and R 2  are alkyl groups. 
     
     
         19 . The method according  claim 16 , wherein Y is a halogen X. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the working electrode comprises at least one inert electrically conductive material selected from carbon, platinum, stainless steel and metal oxides. 
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein counter electrode comprises at least one inert electrically conductive material selected from carbon, platinum, stainless steel and metal oxides. 
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the electrolyte solution comprises the combination of an organic solvent and a salt; or an ionic liquid. 
     
     
         23 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the electrochemical cell further comprises a reference electrode. 
     
     
         24 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the compound of formula (I) has a molar concentration in the composition ranging from 10 −5  mol/L to 10 −1  mol/L. 
     
     
         25 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein step ii) is carried out under potentiostatic or galvanostatic conditions. 
     
     
         26 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein steps i) and ii) are concomitant. 
     
     
         27 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein step iii) of hydrolysis in an acid medium is carried out by bringing a reaction crude obtained in preceding step ii) into contact with an acid solution or with a gaseous acid. 
     
     
         28 . The method according to  claim 27 , wherein the acid solution has a pH ranging from 0 to 6. 
     
     
         29 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the electrochemical cell comprises:
 a compartment C 1  containing the composition, the working electrode immersed in said composition; and the reference electrode immersed in said composition if the reference electrode exists,   a compartment C 2  containing the counter electrode immersed in an electrolyte solution, and   a membrane separating the two compartments C 1  and C 2 .   
     
     
         30 . An electrochemical cell for the reduction of dinitrogen into ammoniacal nitrogen, comprising:
 a composition comprising at least one electrolyte solution and at least one compound responding to a following formula (I): R 1 R 2 MY (I), wherein:
 M is an element from group 13 of the periodic table, 
 R 1  and R 2 , identical or different, are chosen from an alkyl group, an aryl group, an aryl-alkyl group, an —OR group, and an —SR group, R being an alkyl group, an aryl group, or an aryl-alkyl group, and 
 Y is a group selected from a halogen —X, an —OR 3  group, an —SR 3  group, a triflate group, a mesylate group and a triflimidate group, R 3  being an alkyl group, an aryl group or an aryl-alkyl group, 
   a working electrode immersed in said composition, and   a counter electrode immersed in said composition or in an electrolyte solution.