An Australian discovery involving liquid metals could help move hydrogen around the world more efficiently and slash carbon emissions from fertiliser production.
A research team from RMIT University, QUT and the University of Sydney made the potential breakthrough, publishing their findings in the Nature Catalysis journal.
The patent-pending discovery uses liquid metal droplets to break down elements used to create ammonia, which is vital to the production of fertiliser and transporting hydrogen.
Ammonia production currently consumes more than two per cent of global energy and create up to two per cent of carbon emissions worldwide.
The researchers investigated whether they could create a more environmentally friendly way to create ammonia using common metals, RMIT research fellow and lead author Karma Zuraiqi said.
“Ammonia production worldwide is currently responsible for twice the emissions of Australia,” she said.
“If we can improve this process and make it less energy intensive, we can make a large dent in carbon emissions.”
The team created liquid metal droplets from copper and gallium as a catalyst to break down ammonia’s raw ingredients, Dr Zuraiqi said.
The approach, she said, used 20 per cent less heat and 98 per cent less pressure than the standard process, and used more abundant substances.
“These advantages all make it an exciting new development that we’re keen to take further and test outside the lab,” Dr Zuraiqi said.
The metals had previously been discounted for use in ammonia production but their tests proved “they do the job extremely well” when used together, RMIT professor Toben Daeneke said.
In addition to reducing emissions from fertiliser production, he said the discovery could have significant benefits for moving hydrogen to where it was needed.
“One good way to make hydrogen safer and easier to transport is to turn it into ammonia,” he said.
“Our vision is to combine our green ammonia production technology with hydrogen technologies, allowing green energy to be shipped safely around the world without huge losses on the way.”
RMIT University and QUT had jointly filed for a patent on the process, Prof Daeneke said, and would now pursue talks with partners to scale up its testing and use.
The researchers’ announcement comes days after the federal government released its 2024 National Hydrogen Strategy, which noted the nation had announced more than 100 hydrogen projects valued at $225 billion.
The strategy sets a 2050 hydrogen production target between 15 and 30 million tonnes annually.
