Is ammonia, the key to hydrogen energy cars?

Today, a new substance enters scientists' vision: ammonia, the chemical formula is NH3, which breaks down into nitrogen and hydrogen after cracking reaction. However, ammonia cracking reactions require expensive catalysts. Such catalysts are not cost-effective to use in automobiles.

Scientists at the British Science and Technology Facilities Committee believe that they have found a way to decompose ammonia without the need for expensive catalysts: This new cracking process requires a large amount of cheap sodium ammonia to separate hydrogen from nitrogen. Ammonia consumes itself, although this process also consumes a small portion of hydrogen. Ammonia splitting still requires the help of a substance. The new reaction process provided by the Scientific and Technical Facilities Committee allows all the necessary ingredients to be loaded onto the car. Professor David David said: "We estimate that an ammonia decomposition reactor is not as large as a two-liter bottle, but it will provide enough hydrogen for a mid-range family car."

However, there is a problem that cannot be ignored. How can toxic byproducts of ammonia, the by-product of ammonia consumption, be handled? Professor David said: “We have considered how to make the ammonia reaction process as safe as possible and stop releasing ammonia gas.” However, the measures that need to be taken for this purpose are still not clear. However, it is also known that the ammonia reaction process that does not produce ammonia oxide at all is achievable and will not be too difficult.

This discovery is undoubtedly good news for those who are concerned about the need for complex infrastructure and safety issues: With only a plastic fuel tank, ammonia can be easily loaded into the car. Even better, ammonia does not require the high pressure storage conditions required for hydrogen. When "plus ammonia" is added, people can add liquid ammonia to the fuel tank just like oil guns at gas stations. Moreover, ammonia is relatively inexpensive, resource-rich and easy to produce and transport. Ammonia is widely used in agricultural fertilizer production and it has become a huge industry.

So, will ammonia be a new type of fuel for the future world? "We have to wait and see because there are many problems that we need to solve at the moment. But the discovery of these British scientists has given hope for the future," said Kate Rowness, head of innovation at the Science and Technology Facilities Committee. "This is exciting." Research may have an immense impact on fixed and mobile energy solutions. Although this research is still in its infancy, this innovative work will provide new ideas for how to use hydrogen as a new energy source.” Currently, the Scientific and Technical Facilities Committee is working on a project for a low energy demonstration system, so let us fully understand the feasibility of ammonia as a new resource.