Perspective—Concerning a New Mechanistic Model Toward the Catalytic Ammonia Synthesis

A reasonable catalytic mechanistic model should refer to a widely range of catalytic reaction. We believe that all types of catalytic reaction on heterogeneous catalysis should follow a general mechanism, and it is our opinion that with the hall-filled valence orbitals, the atom of catalysts could convert the reactant into reactive radical and/or support the formation of new chemical bond between two reactants via radical dimerization. In our recent publications this new mechanistic model on the catalytic Fischer-Tropsch reaction (the conversion of CO and H₂ to hydrocarbons), electrochemical hydrogen evolution reactions, and hydrogen combustion in various metal catalysts is discussed, and which seems to provide a reasonable interpretation to those catalytic reactions. In the present work it is discussed that this new mechanistic model is suitable to the Haber-Bosch process (catalytic ammonia synthesis) on various transition metal catalysts, and a reasonable explanation is provided on the catalytic property of various transition metal for ammonia synthesis.