# US 11,440,808 B2 · Ammonia synthesis methods and systems

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- Number: US 11,440,808 B2
- Document ID: US11440808B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/314,979
- Filed: 2017-06-14
- Published: 2019-07-04
- Granted: 2022-09-13
- Earliest claimed: 2016-07-06
- Assignees: President and Fellows of Harvard College
- Applicants: President and Fellows of Harvard College
- Inventors: Brendan Cruz Colon; Chong Liu; Daniel G. Nocera; Pamela Ann Silver
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11440808B2

## CPC

- C01C 1/08: Preparation of ammonia from nitrogenous organic substances
- B01J 19/087: {employing electric or magnetic energy}
- C01C 1/04: Preparation of ammonia by synthesis (preparation or purification of gas mixtures for ammonia synthesis C01B3/025)
- C12N 1/20: Bacteria; Culture media therefor
- C12P 3/00: Preparation of elements or inorganic compounds except carbon dioxide {(recovery of carbon dioxides as by-products C12F3/02)}
- C25B 1/04: by electrolysis of water
- C25B 11/061: Metal or alloy
- C25B 15/081: {Supplying products to non-electrochemical reactors that are combined with the electrochemical cell, e.g. Sabatier reactor}
- B01J 2219/00761: Details of the reactor
- Y02P 20/133: Renewable energy sources, e.g. sunlight
- C01C: AMMONIA; CYANOGEN; COMPOUNDS THEREOF ({metal hydrides, monoborane, diborane or addition complexes thereof C01B6/00}; salts of oxyacids of halogens C01B11/00; peroxides, salts of peroxyacids C01B15/00; thiosulfates, dithionites, polythionates C01B17/64; compounds containing selenium or tellurium C01B19/00; azides C01B21/08; {compounds other than ammonia or cyanogen, containing nitrogen, non-metals and optionally metals C01B21/082}; metal imides or amides C01B21/092; nitrites C01B21/50; {compounds of noble gases C01B23/0005}; phosphides C01B25/08; salts of oxyacids of phosphorus C01B25/16; compounds containing silicon C01B33/00; compounds containing boron C01B35/00)
- B01J: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS
- C12N: MICROORGANISMS OR ENZYMES; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF; PROPAGATING, PRESERVING, OR MAINTAINING MICROORGANISMS; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING; CULTURE MEDIA (microbiological testing media C12Q1/00)
- C12P: FERMENTATION OR ENZYME-USING PROCESSES TO SYNTHESISE A DESIRED CHEMICAL COMPOUND OR COMPOSITION OR TO SEPARATE OPTICAL ISOMERS FROM A RACEMIC MIXTURE {(brewing of beer C12C; producing vinegar C12J; producing specific peptides or proteins C07K; producing enzymes C12N9/00; DNA or RNA concerning genetic engineering, vectors, e.g. plasmids, or their isolation, preparation or purification C12N15/00; measuring or testing processes involving enzymes or microorganisms C12Q; measuring or testing processes involving nucleic acid amplification reactions C12Q1/6844; fermentation processes to form a food composition, A21 or A23; compounds in general, see the relevant compound class, e.g. C01, C07)}
- C25B: ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PROCESSES FOR THE PRODUCTION OF COMPOUNDS OR NON-METALS; APPARATUS THEREFOR (anodic or cathodic protection C23F13/00; single-crystal growth C30B)
- Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS

## Abstract

Systems and methods for producing ammonia are described. In one embodiment, hydrogen, carbon dioxide, and nitrogen are dissolved in a solution. A glutamine synthetase inhibitor and autotrophic diazotroph bacteria are also placed in the solution.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for producing ammonia, the method comprising:
dissolving hydrogen in a solution;
dissolving carbon dioxide in the solution;
dissolving nitrogen in the solution;
placing a glutamine synthetase inhibitor in the solution;
placing autotrophic diazotroph bacteria in the solution, and
metabolizing hydrogen, carbon dioxide, and nitrogen with the autotrophic diazotroph bacteria to produce the ammonia.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein dissolving hydrogen in the solution further comprises splitting water in the solution to form hydrogen and oxygen.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein splitting water in the solution further comprises splitting water using a cathode including cobalt-phosphorus alloy and an anode including cobalt phosphate.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, wherein the solution includes a phosphate.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein dissolving carbon dioxide and nitrogen in the solution further comprises bubbling carbon dioxide and nitrogen through the solution.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the autotrophic diazotroph bacteria includes nitrogenase and hydrogenase enzymes.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the autotrophic diazotroph bacteria include Xanthobacter autotrophicus and/or Bradyrhizobium japonicum.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the glutamine synthetase inhibitor includes glufosinate (PPT) and/or methionine sulfoximine (MSO).