Conventional approaches to catalytically converting N2 to products are constrained by thermal equilibrium and by the limited space of materials able to carry out the multiple microscopic steps that lead from reactants to products. Non-thermal plasmas operate at conditions far from thermal equilibrium, and thus application of plasma stimulation will in principle change both the optimal reaction regimes and the optimal materials for catalyzing reactions in those regimes. Here we probe the consequences of non-thermal phenomena on N2 catalysis through simple models that incorporate the primary effects of plasma and catalyst on reactivity. The models reveal intriguing behaviors that rationalize experimental observations and provide guidance for rational development and exploitation of plasma and catalyst in tandem.
