As useful as ammonia is, its impact on the environment can’t be overstated; by most assessments, it is the second most harmful product (to cement) in terms of carbon emissions, due to the high temperatures and energy used to produce the colorless gas. However, that problem may finally have a solution, with a group of University of Illinois Chicago engineers who have developed a new, greener ammonia production process.
The process, called “lithium-mediated ammonia synthesis” combines nitrogen gas and a fluid (like ethanol) with a charged lithium electrode. Rather than breaking the nitrogen molecules apart through temperature and pressure, the nitrogen atoms stick to the lithium, then combine with the hydrogen of the fluid to make the molecule commonly found in fertilizers, dyes, and household cleaners.
Though the approach is not new (the producing reaction was initially discovered over 100 years ago), but the refinement has led to a potential result that would produce ammonia 60% cheaper than currently - and could also be a potential window into using hydrogen as fuel, as ammonia can function as a carrier of hydrogen (reducing the dangers of transporting pure hydrogen).
A patent is still pending for this process, but the scientists, who currently are partnering with General Ammonia Co. to scale up the technology, wasting no time in working towards the critical goal of reducing carbon emissions using both old and emerging technologies.
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