Global lightning fixes 40 million tons of nitrogen annually by
creating Paramagnetic Nitric Oxide (NO).
Ammonia (NH3) oxidizes exothermally in the presence of a catalyst:
4 NH3 + 5 O2 ----> 6 H2O + 4 NO + 900 kJ
Oxidation of NO to Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) is exothermic:
2 NO + O2 -----> 2 NO2 + 116 kJ
Reaction of NO2 with H2O can form Nitric Acid (HNO3):
2 NO2 + 2 H2O ------> HNO3 + NO + 2 OH
In the presence of O2 at the anode of a (stainless steel) electrolysis cell:
NO + O2 -----> NO2 + O
NO2 + H2O ------> NO + 2 OH
NO + O -----> NO2
NO2 + H2O -----> NO + 2 OH
More available Atmospheric or Electrolysis O2 and a catalytic (SS) surface
NO + O2 -----> NO2 + O
NO2 + H2O -----> NO + 2 OH
NO + O ------> NO2 .... and so on for a couple of days as long
as the cell is kept warm, NO?
Same results with different reaction pathways. Hess' Law.
Fred
