Plasma conversion of C, N2 and H2O into HCN and CO at atmospheric pressure and near ambient temperature: towards oxamide fertilisers?

Molteni, M, Acharya, TR, Mulholland‐Prescott, B, Clayton, T, Kays, D, Licence, P, Sutton, M, Walker, G, Slikboer, E ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7716-907X, Otieno, S, Weilhard, A, Kohlrausch, E, Robinson, D ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2760-7163, Wright, J and Woodward, S, 2026. Plasma conversion of C, N2 and H2O into HCN and CO at atmospheric pressure and near ambient temperature: towards oxamide fertilisers? ChemistryEurope, 4 (4): e202500320. ISSN 2751-4765

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Abstract

HCN, the direct precursor of oxamide [H2N(C = O)(C = O)NH2)], a superior fertiliser to the urea, can be made via Haber–Bosch (HB) N2 fixation followed by ‘Blausäure-Methan-Ammoniak’ (BMA) coupling of NH3/CH4. That composite route is not economically/energetically viable for oxamide fertiliser production (vs. urea). A study of an alternative route to HCN is reported herein. At 1 atm, 40°C, carbon (sustainable charcoal, graphite powder, milled carbon fibres and coal power plant fly ash) and N2 are converted into HCN and CO by non-thermal plasma (NTP) discharge via C2 diradical/N2 activation. The O-atoms within the CO result ultimately from water. A stepwise ensemble comprising cyanogen formation (from C2 and N2), its subsequent cleavage to HCN, the water-gas-shift-reaction and Boudouard reaction (CO from CO2/C) is proposed. No conversion of carbon is observed in the absence of NTP, but in its presence, NTP-synergistic aluminium xerogel additives [prepared from hydrolysis of Al(O-sec-Bu)3 in the presence of methanol soluble transition metal salts (Fe, Mg, Mo, Na, Cu, Ag)] augment the reaction selectivity/activity. For the optimal FeII-xerogel concentrations of 5900–6019 ppm (ca. 0.6% HCN v/v) and 39 032–63 200 ppm (ca. 5% CO v/v) at dissipated energies within a factor of 20 of those for commercial HB-BMA production of HCN are attained.

Item Type:	Journal article
Publication Title:	ChemistryEurope
Creators:	Molteni, M., Acharya, T.R., Mulholland‐Prescott, B., Clayton, T., Kays, D., Licence, P., Sutton, M., Walker, G., Slikboer, E., Otieno, S., Weilhard, A., Kohlrausch, E., Robinson, D., Wright, J. and Woodward, S.
Publisher:	Wiley
Date:	April 2026
Volume:	4
Number:	4
ISSN:	2751-4765
Identifiers:	Number Type 10.1002/ceur.202500320 DOI 2621759 Other
Divisions:	Schools > School of Science and Technology
Record created by:	Laura Borcherds
Date Added:	28 Apr 2026 09:40
Last Modified:	28 Apr 2026 09:40
URI:	https://irep.ntu.ac.uk/id/eprint/55614

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