En væsentlig bidragyder til belysning af mekanismen er den tyske kemiker og [[Modtagere af Nobelprisen|nobelprismodtager]] [[Gerhard Ertl]], der har forsket meget i overfladekemi og mekanismer.<ref>{{cite journal | title = Interaction of nitrogen with iron surfaces: I. Fe(100) and Fe(111) | journal = [[Journal of Catalysis]] | volume = 49 | issue = 1 | year = 1977 | pages = 18–41 | author = F. Bozso, G. Ertl, M. Grunze and M. Weiss | doi = 10.1016/0021-9517(77)90237-8}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | title = The structure of atomic nitrogen adsorbed on Fe(100) | journal = [[Surface Science]] | volume = 123 | issue = 1 | year = 1982 | pages = 129–140 | author = R. Imbihl, R. J. Behm, G. Ertl and W. Moritz | doi = 10.1016/0039-6028(82)90135-2|bibcode = 1982SurSc.123..129I }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | title = Kinetics of nitrogen adsorption on Fe(111) | journal = [[Surface Science]] | volume = 114 | issue = 2–3 | year = 1982 | pages = 515–526 | author = G. Ertl, S. B. Lee and M. Weiss | doi = 10.1016/0039-6028(82)90702-6|bibcode = 1982SurSc.114..515E }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | title = Primary steps in catalytic synthesis of ammonia | author = G. Ertl | journal = [[Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology A]] | year = 1983 | volume = 1 |issue = 2 | pages = 1247–1253 | doi = 10.1116/1.572299}}</ref>
Kemi