UW-Madison scientists have discovered a new way to capture energy from an everyday product that could be a key step to a carbon-free economy.
Researchers in professor John Berry’s chemistry lab found that ammonia combined with a catalyst containing the metal ruthenium spontaneously produces nitrogen, releasing electrons that can be siphoned off.
Replicated at scale, the reaction could be used to generate electricity without releasing pollutants or heat-trapping gases like carbon dioxide, providing a viable alternative to fossil fuels and helping achieve a carbon-neutral economy, which scientists warn is necessary to avoid catastrophic climate change.
Read the full article at: https://madison.com/wsj/news/local/environment/clean-energy-from-ammonia-uw-discovery-a-step-towards-carbon-free-economy/article_f8c21b4a-f635-5407-9f4b-2c9c822a21dc.html