Comment by einpoklum
2 days ago
"Researchers produce NH_3 fuel from N-gas-compound with H_2O vapor"
Doesn't sound so exciting.
But, sniping aside - is there a potential for cheap enough production in abundant enough amounts to use safely in machine engines? Or as grid-level storage medium for solar energy? The very transformation is neat, but the application is what would be interesting.
> produce NH_3 fuel from N-gas-compound with H_2O vapor
At room temperature! That's the interesting bit.
In TFA the alternative methods for making ammonia are mentioned.
One such method, which already works at room temperature for combining hydrogen with nitrogen into ammonia, uses electricity together with a platinum-gold catalyst and it has a 13% energetic efficiency.
The methods described here uses cheaper materials and the authors hope that some time in the future it might reach a better energetic efficiency.