Weitao Wang, Yaolin Wang, Hanwei Li, Michael Craven, Xin Tu
High Resolution Image Download MS PowerPoint Slide Decarbonizing nitrogen fixation is essential for sustainable fertilizer production, as the conventional Haber–Bosch process remains highly energy-intensive and a significant contributor to global greenhouse gas emissions. Plasma electrification offers a fossil-free, electricity-driven, and decentralized modular alternative that can operate flexibly with intermittent renewable energy sources. In this Perspective, we critically examine the current progress in plasma-based NO x synthesis, with particular emphasis on reactor engineering, plasma–catalyst synergy, and plasma–liquid systems. We discuss how key operating parameters and plasma-induced reaction pathways govern efficiency and selectivity, and highlight recent advances that enhance NO x yield while reducing energy consumption. Furthermore, we outline forward-looking strategies to improve plasma–gas interactions, suppress backward reactions, develop robust catalysts stable under nonequilibrium conditions, advance in situ diagnostics, and perform comprehensive techno-economic and life-cycle analyses to enable scalable and practical implementations. By highlighting these opportunities, this Perspective positions plasma-enabled nitrogen fixation as a transformative complement to the Haber–Bosch process, offering a sustainable route to fertilizer production that reduces fossil fuel dependence and mitigates environmental impact.