GIST Develops Technology to Convert Environmental Pollutant Ammonia

Schematic diagram of an electrochemical cell converting fine dust precursor substances into ammonia fuel. Photo by Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Cho Hyung-joo] The research team led by Professor Joo Jong-hoon of the Department of Earth and Environmental Engineering at GIST (Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, President Kim Ki-seon) announced on the 9th that, through joint research with Dr. Yoon Hyung-chul's team at the Korea Institute of Energy Research, they have developed a technology to convert nitric oxide into ammonia, a hydrogen storage medium.

Ammonia is well known as a raw material for fertilizers, but it is also easy to use as a hydrogen carrier for storing and transporting hydrogen to achieve carbon neutrality. Additionally, it does not produce CO₂ during combustion, making it a promising alternative fuel.

The currently commercialized ammonia production method, the Haber-Bosch process, requires a high-pressure environment, resulting in high energy consumption and high costs due to the use of hydrogen as fuel. Therefore, research is underway to replace it with electrochemical methods.

Existing electrochemical conversion technologies have succeeded in synthesizing ammonia from nitrogen, but the decomposition reaction rate of nitrogen is very slow, and the ammonia synthesis efficiency is low, limiting their practical use.

This research team succeeded in producing ammonia, a highly useful substance, at atmospheric pressure with world-class efficiency by using a ceramic ion-conductive material-based electrochemical cell and utilizing nitrogen oxides, toxic substances in the atmosphere, as raw materials.

Moreover, in this process, they achieved the production of hydrogen, a next-generation fuel, as a byproduct without emitting pollutants.

This research result represents the world's first ammonia synthesis method from nitrogen oxides using oxygen ion-conductive materials and demonstrated more than three times the production efficiency (1885 μmol cm?² h?¹) compared to existing electrochemical ammonia synthesis methods.

Professor Joo Jong-hoon said, "By reducing fine dust-causing substances and producing ammonia, a hydrogen storage medium, with high efficiency, we have developed an eco-friendly and economical ammonia production technology, which is expected to be a starting point for achieving carbon neutrality."

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