Ammonia production method and apparatus for ammonia production

Ammonia production method comprising the steps of:

• providing at least one rare earth nitride material or rare earth nitride layer in a chamber;
• creating a vacuum in the chamber with the at least one rare earth nitride material or rare earth nitride layer provided in the chamber, or creating an inert atmosphere in the chamber with the at least one rare earth nitride material or rare earth nitride layer provided in the chamber;
• and
• providing hydrogen to react with at least one nitrogen atom released at an external surface of the at least one rare earth nitride material or rare earth nitride layer to produce ammonia;
• wherein the at least one rare earth nitride material or rare earth nitride layer comprises an external surface consisting solely of rare earth nitride atoms;
• or an external surface including at least one area consisting solely of rare earth nitride atoms;
• or a plurality of areas consisting solely of rare earth nitride atoms, said at least one area or each of said plurality of areas being a sub-area of a surface defined by the external surface.