Can nitrous oxide be made from air?

[Stormer]

The air is full of nitrogen and oxygen but can this somehow be reacted together to make N2O without any other chemicals involved (other than as a catalyst or other non consumable role)?

 

[mjc123]

Lightning?

 

[hmmm27]

"As of 2010, it was estimated that about 29.5 million tonnes of N 2O (containing 18.8 million tonnes of nitrogen) were entering the atmosphere each year; of which 64% were natural, and 36% due to human activity" - Wikipedia (linked).

 

[Stormer]

Lightning?

Does that not mostly just make ozone?

"As of 2010, it was estimated that about 29.5 million tonnes of N 2O (containing 18.8 million tonnes of nitrogen) were entering the atmosphere each year; of which 64% were natural, and 36% due to human activity" - Wikipedia (linked).

Do you really think that is a good answer to my question?

 

[DaveC426913]

The air is full of nitrogen and oxygen but can this somehow be reacted together to make N2O without any other chemicals involved (other than as a catalyst or other non consumable role)?

What has your research told you about how N₂O is produced, whether naturally or artificially? Did you find any that do not involve intermediate steps?

 

[Astronuc]

The air is full of nitrogen and oxygen but can this somehow be reacted together to make N2O without any other chemicals involved (other than as a catalyst or other non consumable role)?

Why would one want to do that?

https://cfpub.epa.gov/si/si_public_record_report.cfm?Lab=NRMRL&dirEntryId=129929

Does that not mostly just make ozone?

The origin of nitrous oxide in the atmosphere is due to the reaction between nitrogen molecules and oxygen atoms formed by the photochemical dissociation of ozone in the atmosphere.
https://journals.aps.org/pr/abstract/10.1103/PhysRev.95.320 (received: 1954; published: 1955)

Do you really think that is a good answer to my question?

Seems like a good answer. A link is provided for one's edification.

 

[killinchy]

The triple bond between the two nitrogen atoms in N2 is the second strongest covalent bond there is. The C-O bond in carbon monoxide is slightly stronger.

Nitrogen is a very stable compound. Around about the end of the 19th century, there was concern that, by the 1920s, widespread starvation would break out.

The problem was that there was not enough nitrogen-containing fertilizers to grow enough wheat to feed the increasing world population. What was needed was a catalyst that would speed up

N2 + 3H2 ----> 2NH3 (ammonia) Once you have NH3, it's easy to make fertilizers (or explosives)

Today about 50% of the nitrogen atoms in our bodies come from this reaction.

There is a wonderful book on all this

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0307351793/?tag=pfamazon01-20

 

[tech99]

Diesel engine fixes atmospheric nitrogen - unfortunately.

 

[Stormer]

What has your research told you about how N₂O is produced, whether naturally or artificially? Did you find any that do not involve intermediate steps?

Not much.
The "best" route i found that does not involve other chemicals than those that is readily available everywhere (water and air) is to first elektrolyse water to hydrogen, then make ammonia with the haber bosch process, and then make the N2O by oxidation of the ammonia.

But this route is really inefficient and complex.

That is why i am asking here obviously.

Why would one want to do that?

To make N2O without having to get other chemicals to do it. For example to make it just using energy and the resources available offshore on a boat.

The origin of nitrous oxide in the atmosphere is due to the reaction between nitrogen molecules and oxygen atoms formed by the photochemical dissociation of ozone in the atmosphere.

So is there a way to do this efficiently and to separate out the N2O with a machine?

Seems like a good answer. A link is provided for one's edification.

I am obviously not asking for N2O as a trace gas byproduct of another process. I am asking about how you can produce N2O from fluids that is readily available everywhere (like air and water). So no that is not a good answer at all.

 

[Borek]

But this route is really inefficient and complex.

That's a bit shifting the goal post. You asked whether it is doable - yes, it is. mjc123 signaled the most obvious natural way in the first post, you listed one in your own post. Now you are asking a different question, one about the process economy. My bet is that no, there are no known more efficient ways than the one you listed, otherwise they would long replace the Haber-Bosh process and its variants (once you have any nitrogen oxide converting it into other nitrogen compounds is relatively simple, it is the initial reaction involving breaking of the triple bond that is the difficult step).