Researchers in Japan are working on a new method to extract hydrogen from ammonia (NH3) at much lower temperatures than previously required, a breakthrough that could be crucial for the green energy industry. Ammonia has high hydrogen content and is easy to transport, making it an attractive option for clean energy. However, its decomposition to release hydrogen traditionally needs very high temperatures, over 773 K.
The team has introduced a method using a ruthenium/cerium oxide (Ru/CeO2) catalyst and an electric field to break ammonia apart at significantly lower temperatures. This approach leverages “surface protonics,” which enhances proton conduction at the catalyst’s surface, reducing both the energy and temperature required for ammonia decomposition.
One of the key benefits of this research is the ability to produce hydrogen on-demand at lower temperatures, which is vital for sectors like fuel cells and internal combustion engines. In their experiments, the team achieved ammonia decomposition at temperatures as low as 473 K, and with sufficient contact time, a 100% conversion rate was reached at 398 K.
The practical implications of this development are significant, particularly for industries like shipping, which are exploring ammonia as a hydrogen carrier. Hydrogen is seen as a key player in the shift to carbon-free energy sources, but unlocking it efficiently from compounds like ammonia has been a challenge due to the high temperatures traditionally required.
Professor Yasushi Sekine from Waseda University, leading the project, highlighted that this new method could make the production of green hydrogen much more feasible and accelerate the transition to cleaner fuels. With ammonia being widely available and having high hydrogen density, this process could offer a more practical and energy-efficient solution for hydrogen storage and transportation.
Although ammonia’s use as an energy vector is still limited and its production from fossil fuels remains energy-intensive, innovations like this could pave the way for broader adoption of ammonia in the green hydrogen economy.