EluMecAOR · Elucidation of the different reaction mechanisms and pathways offered by the AOR

Elucidation of the different reaction mechanisms and pathways offered by the AOR

The European Union aspires to achieve a greenhouse gas-free economy by 2050.1 To meet this ambitious goal, green hydrogen is considered a pivotal energy source.2 One promising method for storing hydrogen involves using ammonia as a hydrogen carrier. At 8 bar, ammonia has more than twice the volumetric energy density (10.5 MJ/L) compared to compressed hydrogen at 700 bar (5 MJ/L).3 Furthermore, with the increasing production of green ammonia via the Haber-Bosch process coupled with renewable energy sources, it becomes a viable option for hydrogen production. Companies such as Siemens Energy, BP, and ThyssenKrupp are joining efforts to enhance ammonia production in countries with abundant renewable energy resources.4-7 Consequently, readily available ammonia emerges as an excellent candidate not only for hydrogen transport but also as a standalone energy source for fuel cells. For this reason, it is crucial to understand how to electrochemically decompose ammonia to generate electrical power. The objective of this project is to elucidate the various descriptors and mechanisms governing the ammonia electro-oxidation reaction (AOR) and to identify the chemical species produced during this reaction. This knowledge will pave the way for designing efficient catalysts to harness energy from ammonia. 1. https://ec.europa.eu/clima/policies/strategies/2050_en 2. https://ec.europa.eu/energy/topics/energy-system-integration/hydrogen_es 3. Schüth, F.; Palkovits, R.; Schlögl, R.; Su, D. S. Ammonia as a possible element in an energy infrastructure: catalysts for ammonia decomposition. Energy Environ. Sci. 2012, 5, 6278 4. Lewis, J. Origin and MOL explore shipping green ammonia from Australia from 2026(www.upstreamonline.com), August 2021 5. Paul, S. BP sees potential for green hydrogen, ammonia plant in Australia (www.reuters.com), August 2021 6. https://www.siemens-energy.com/uk/en/offerings-uk/green-ammonia.html 7. https://www.thyssenkrupp-industrial-solutions.com/power-to-x/en/green-ammonia

Data: CORDIS, © European Union