Inventors:
Jacek J. Dziewinski - Los Alamos NM
Stanislaw Marczak - Los Alamos NM
Assignee:
The Regents of the University of California - Los Alamos NM
International Classification:
C25C 100
Abstract:
The electrochemical reduction of nitrates in aqueous solutions thereof in the presence of amides to gaseous nitrogen (N ) is described. Generally, electrochemical reduction of NO proceeds stepwise, from NO to N , and subsequently in several consecutive steps to ammonia (NH ) as a final product. Addition of at least one amide to the solution being electrolyzed suppresses ammonia generation, since suitable amides react with NO to generate N. This permits nitrate reduction to gaseous nitrogen to proceed by electrolysis. Suitable amides include urea, sulfamic acid, formamide, and acetamide.
