Phys.org November 11, 2021
Researchers at the University of Wisconsin developed a technique to convert ammonia to nitrogen gas using a metal catalyst containing ruthenium without added energy. The process can be harnessed to produce electricity, with protons and nitrogen gas as byproducts. In addition, the metal complex can be recycled through exposure to oxygen and used repeatedly, a much cleaner process than using carbon-based fuels. The new reaction avoids toxic byproducts. If the reaction were housed in a fuel cell where ammonia and ruthenium react at an electrode surface, it could cleanly produce electricity without the need for a catalytic converter. As the ammonia synthesis challenges are met there will be many benefits to using ammonia as a common energy source or fuel. It’s compressible, like propane, easy to transport and easy to store. Their next steps include engineering a fuel cell that takes advantage of the new discovery and generate ammonia from water, instead of hydrogen gas…read more. TECHNICAL ARTICLEÂ
Overview of a nitrogen/ammonia fuel economy and progress towards catalyzed DAFCs. Credit: Nature Chemistry (2021)Â