Remarkable catalysis of a wool-like copper electrode for NH3 synthesis from N2 and H2 in non-thermal atmospheric plasma.

A wool-like copper electrode used to produce non-thermal plasma functioned as an efficient catalyst for ammonia production from N2 and H2 under atmospheric pressure without heating. The catalytic activity increased as the experiments were repeated. The yield of ammonia at H2/N2 = 3 was 3.5%. The intensity of the emission spectra of N2*(C-B) bands was correlated with the ammonia synthesis rate.