Perovskite Membranes in Ammonia Oxidation: Towards Process Intensification in Nitric Acid Manufacture

Intensified nitric acid production is possible when NH3 is oxidized with Ca- and Sr-substituted lanthanum ferrite perovskites in a membrane reactor with NO selectivities of up to 98 % (see picture). In this new process atmospheric N2 is rejected by the oxygen-conducting membrane, expensive noble metal catalysts are unnecessary, and no environmentally harmful N2O is produced.