A team of researchers at the prestigious RIKEN Center for Emergent Matter Science (CEMS) in Japan has made a groundbreaking discovery in chemical storage. They have developed a compound that utilizes a unique chemical reaction to store ammonia, providing a safer and more convenient method for storing this vital chemical compound.
This groundbreaking research, which has been published in the highly regarded Journal of the American Chemical Society, offers not only a safe and convenient way to store ammonia, but also a means of storing hydrogen, a crucial element for a decarbonized society.
In order for society to transition from carbon-based energy sources to hydrogen-based energy, it is crucial to have a safe method for storing and transporting hydrogen. However, pure hydrogen is highly combustible, making it a challenge to handle. One solution to this dilemma is to store hydrogen within another molecule and extract it as needed. Ammonia (NH3) is particularly suitable for this purpose, as each molecule contains three hydrogen atoms, accounting for almost 20% of ammonia’s weight.
Despite its potential as a hydrogen carrier, ammonia presents difficulties due to its corrosive nature. Currently, ammonia is stored by liquefying it at extremely low temperatures and storing it in pressure-resistant containers. Porous compounds can also store ammonia at room temperature and pressure, but their storage capacity is limited, and ammonia retrieval is often challenging.
In their recent study, the research team led by Masuki Kawamoto at RIKEN CEMS focused on a perovskite compound known as ethylammonium lead iodide (EAPbI3). This compound features a unique one-dimensional columnar structure that undergoes a chemical reaction with ammonia at room temperature and pressure, transforming into a two-dimensional layered structure called lead iodide hydroxide (Pb(OH)I).
Through this process, ammonia can be stored within the layered structure through chemical conversion. This allows EAPbI3 to safely store corrosive ammonia gas as a nitrogen compound at a significantly lower cost than traditional methods. What’s more, the retrieval process is simple and efficient, requiring only gentle heating.
“To our surprise, ammonia stored in ethylammonium lead iodide could be easily extracted by heating it gently,” says Kawamoto. By raising the temperature to 50°C (122°F) under a vacuum, the stored nitrogen compound undergoes a reverse reaction and returns to its ammonia state. This temperature is much lower than what is typically required to extract ammonia from porous compounds, making EAPbI3 an excellent medium for handling corrosive gases in a cost-effective manner.
Furthermore, the perovskite compound can be reused after returning to its original one-dimensional columnar structure, allowing for repeated storage and extraction of ammonia. Additionally, the compound undergoes a color change during the chemical reactions, which opens up the possibility of developing color-based ammonia sensors to determine the amount of stored ammonia.
This innovative storage method has immediate and long-term applications. In the short term, it provides a safe and efficient means of storing ammonia, which is utilized in various industries, from agriculture to pharmaceuticals. In the long term, the researchers envision this method as part of the solution for achieving a decarbonized society through the use of ammonia as a carbon-free hydrogen carrier.
This research aligns with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Goal 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy) and Goal 13 (Climate Action), and represents a significant step towards realizing a sustainable and decarbonized future.
More information: Chemical storage of ammonia through dynamic structural transformation of a hybrid perovskite compound., Journal of the American Chemical Society (2023). DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c04181
Citation: Researchers discover safe, easy, and affordable way to store and retrieve hydrogen (2023, July 10) retrieved 10 July 2023 from https://phys.org/news/2023-07-safe-easy-hydrogen.html
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