Recently, an article on SciTechDaily detailed how Stanford researchers found a possible solution to the current drawbacks in ammonia production. Ammonia, also known by it's chemical formula NH3 , is an incredibly common molecule that is used in a variety of fields. It is mostly used, however, as the foundation for the vast majority of chemical fertilizers. For the last 100 years ammonia has been produced around the world via the Haber-Bosch process. It was due to this method that ammonia could be mass produced, aiding the booming agricultural industry as the human population skyrocketed. The method, however, is far from perfect. It must be performed at high temperatures and pressures, ranging between 572-1000 F and 80 - 300 atm, making it inherently dangerous and energy intensive. Another large drawback from this reaction is that carbon dioxide is a major by-product, with 2 tons being emitted for every ton of NH3 produced. It is currently responsible for 2% of global energy demand as well as 1% of global cardon dioxide emissions. While ammonia production is critical to feeding the world's growing population, it's current production methods come at a high cost.
This makes the developments by Dr. Zare's lab all the more important. They published an article back in March detailing how they managed to create ammonia, at room temperature and pressure, using only nitrogen gas, water, and a graphite mesh coated with magnetite (Fe3O4) and Nafion. Water and nitrogen gas were sprayed through the mesh and instantly analyzed by MS.
Collins, C. (2023, April 29). Just add water – Stanford researchers have discovered a simple and Eco-friendly way to make ammonia. Retrieved May 1, 2023, from SciTechDaily website: https://scitechdaily.com/just-add-water-stanford-researchers-have-discovered-a-simple-and-eco-friendly-way-to-make-ammonia/
Song, X., Basheer, C., & Zare, R. N. (2023). Making ammonia from nitrogen and water microdroplets. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 120(16), e2301206120. doi:10.1073/pnas.2301206120
Good catchy title. Nice graphic. Your lede paragraph quite concisely outlines the importance of ammonia, particularly in the food chain. (Note: I have read that on average half the nitrogen in our bodies entered the food chain via the Haber Bosch process.) The explanation of the experiment and the cartoon of the set-up are also quite clear and concise. The cartoon and explanation of the details of the chemistry are also concise and clear. I would note that there are a number of examples of novel chemistry in water nanodroplets. I think it has generally been found that scaling up is not trivial. Overall, however, I think the piece contributes to a positive view of chemists and chemistry. It presents fundamental chemical research as a possible source of solutions to important problems. SciTechDaily is a step away from the primary literature, but is not as widely read or as influential as many more general interest sources. Overall a timely and interesting post.
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