Emerging Strategies for Sustainable Nitrogen Activation to Ammonia

Abstract

Activating inert nitrogen (N2) under mild conditions remains a grand challenge in chemistry, constrained by strong N equivalent to N bonding and high kinetic stability. While the Haber-Bosch process has long dominated ammonia (NH3) production, its energy-intensive nature and heavy carbon footprint highlight the urgent need for alternative, low-carbon strategies. Recent advances have redefined N2 fixation by bypassing some of these thermodynamic constraints through novel mechanistic and platform innovations. This Review systematically examines six emerging approaches: electrocatalysis, photo/photoelectrocatalysis, non-thermal plasma activation, lithium-mediated reduction, mechanochemistry, and microdroplet-based catalysis. By integrating insights from molecular mechanisms to interface engineering and system-level design, shared bottlenecks such as low selectivity, competing side reactions, and scale-up challenges are we identified. Looking forward, cross-field hybridization (e.g., plasma-droplet or mechano-electrocatalytic combinations) and system-level engineering are poised to unlock synergistic efficiencies and enable distributed, on-demand NH3 production. Additionally, machine learning and data-driven design will accelerate catalyst discovery, optimize interfaces, and elucidate complex activation pathways beyond conventional approaches. Collectively, these strategies establish a roadmap for decentralized, energy-efficient, and carbon-neutral N2 conversion, redefining the future of sustainable N2 chemistry.