Revolution in ammonia production: an artificial lightning produces it more efficiently and greener
Researchers at the University of Sydney have developed an innovative method to produce ammonia , one of the world's most important chemicals, using artificial lightning.
Ammonia is a key ingredient in fertilizers, which are essential for nearly half of global food production. The study was published in Phys.
.A new way to produce ammoniaThe Australian team has created a simpler process to generate ammonia in gaseous form (NH3). Unlike other experimental methods, which produced ammonia in solution (ammonium, NH4+), requiring more energy to obtain the final gas, this new technique is more direct and efficient.
Ammonia molecule
The impact of the Haber-Bosch trial
Currently, 90% of the world's ammonia production is based on the Haber-Bosch process, invented in the 19th century. This method, although it has revolutionized agriculture and industry, has a huge environmental impact, with high carbon emissions.
Haber Bosch Process
Furthermore, it requires large centralized plants close to low-cost natural gas sources to be economically viable. In Europe, after the Ukrainian crisis, many companies were forced to cease production due to the excessive cost of methane.
Towards a “green” ammonia
Professor PJ Cullen, from the University of Sydney’s School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, has been leading research into more sustainable ammonia for six years. “There is a growing need for ammonia in industry, but we need to find a way to produce it without relying on fossil fuels. We need ‘green’ ammonia that is cheap, scalable and produced in a decentralised way,” Cullen explains.
The prototype of the new ammonia production tool (from Phys)
The new method uses a membrane electrolyzer and plasma power, generated by exciting air with electricity, essentially lightning. In this process, nitrogen and oxygen in the air are activated and transformed into gaseous ammonia. Compared to the Haber-Bosch process, which combines nitrogen and hydrogen at high temperatures and pressures, the new approach is simpler and more straightforward.
Why Ammonia is Important
Ammonia is not only essential for fertilizers, but can also serve as a carrier for hydrogen, which is useful as a clean energy source. By separating hydrogen molecules from ammonia (a process called “cracking”), hydrogen can be used for energy purposes. Ammonia is also a promising candidate for a carbon-free fuel, attracting the attention of the shipping industry, which is responsible for about 3% of global greenhouse gas emissions.
Future prospects
Cullen’s team is working to improve the energy efficiency of the process, particularly the electrolyzer, to make it competitive with the Haber-Bosch method. “We have already made the plasma component efficient and scalable. Now we need to optimize the electrolyzer to complete this sustainable solution,” Cullen concludes. This study represents an important step toward more environmentally friendly ammonia production, with the potential to reduce the climate impact of an industry that is crucial to global agriculture and energy.
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This is a machine translation of a post published on Scenari Economici at the URL https://scenarieconomici.it/fulmine-ammoniaca-pulita-rivoluzione/ on Fri, 04 Jul 2025 20:29:00 +0000.