A team of scientists from UNSW Sydney create a“zero emission system” that converts wastewater into ammonia, under the structure of an “artificial leaf”. This achievement is possible thanks to the adaptation of a solar panel, modifying it into an ammonia production device.
The structure of the “artificial leaf
Today, ammonia production is beneficial to agriculture worldwide, but its manufacture is highly damaging because of the high environmental cost it requires. Therefore, Professor Xiaojing Hao and Professor Rose Amal of UNSW Scientia have led a team that developed a method to produce ammonium ions from nitrate-containing wastewater using a specialized solar panel. The device, shaped like an “artificial leaf,” has been described in a paper published in the Journal of Energy and Environmental Science.
The process is known as photoelectrocatalytic (PEC), which is based on a thin, nanostructured layer of copper and cobalt hydroxide that functions as a catalyst, facilitating the chemical reaction needed to transform wastewater into ammonium nitrate.. A prototype of this system, installed at UNSW’s Tyree Energy Technologies building, has demonstrated its ability to produce enough ammonium to fertilize a small plot of land, opening the door to future applications on a larger scale.
The research team, which includes lead author Chen Han and Dr. Jian Pan, has made positive progress with this “artificial leaf” system. Although the project is still in the early stages of development, the results point to a solution that could reduce emissions of pollutant gases associated with ammonia production.
How does ammonia production work?
Professor Amal stresses that ammonia production requires extremely high temperatures of 400 to 500 degrees Celsius and high pressures, which historically has depended on the use of fossil fuels. However, this new production system operates under normal environmental conditions, using only sunlight and nitrate-containing wastewater.
The objective is the decentralization of ammonium production, an innovative aspect of this technology.an innovative aspect of this technology. Prof. Amal suggests that this system could be implemented on a small scale in agricultural areas, allowing for the fertilizer production directly on site, which would also reduce transport-related CO₂ emissions.
As in natural photosynthesis, where plants convert sunlight into energy, the solar panel in this PEC process acts as an artificial leaf, using sunlight to convert wastewater into ammonium nitrate, a vital compound for agricultural fertilization.
The outlook for ammonia production
Chen Han, lead author of the study, highlights this breakthrough as the result of an interdisciplinary collaboration between the School of Photovoltaic and Renewable Energy Engineering and the School of Chemical Engineering at UNSW. In his remarks, Han details that they have developed a highly efficient nanostructured catalyst by integrating it into a silicon solar panel, which has enabled a highly effective process to produce ammonia and other value-added products from chemical waste and solar energy.
On the other hand, Professor Amal pointed out the importance of filtering wastewater before converting it, ensuring that it is free of organic matter and particulates, which is a necessary preliminary step for the ammonium conversion process. However, once the ammonium has been generated, the treated wastewater could have useful applications in agriculture.
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Source and photo: UNSW Sydney
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