The team behind the paper included researchers from private universities Rice and Princeton
Researchers engineer light-activated ammonia-to-hydrogen catalyst
A team led by Rice University has designed a method of cracking ammonia that could replace the use of expensive metals for thermocatalysts
A light-activated catalyst made using copper and iron has been used to produce gram-scale quantities of hydrogen gas from ammonia, according to a recently published paper in peer-reviewed journal Science. The researchers say the discovery could pave the way for the replacement of precious metals in catalysts used to reconvert ammonia back to hydrogen. Ammonia has been suggested as a way to safely store and transport hydrogen using existing infrastructure. However, the process of converting hydrogen to ammonia and cracking it back again for end-use can result in energy loss of up to 22pc. Cracking to hydrogen is also an energy-intensive process, requiring high temperatures to speed up reacti
Also in this section
17 January 2025
Bank’s UK arm signs first deal to finance a green hydrogen developer, but cost and offtake pressures mean the sector remains too risky for many lenders
15 January 2025
The country’s technology-neutral position and competitive business environment mean it is looking to be surfing the second wave of the energy transition while others are still grappling with the first
14 January 2025
With abundant wind and sunshine, Africa is poised to lead in green hydrogen production. Yet high costs and financing challenges require global partnerships to unlock the continent's potential
14 January 2025
The continent’s largest economy sees an opportunity to join the global export market, but funding gap and lack of regulatory framework present challenges
