Iron-hydride catalyst for low-temperature low-pressure ammonia synthesis

Problem solved

Conventional Haber-Bosch ammonia synthesis requires high temperature and high pressure (classically hundreds of °C and multi-MPa to tens of MPa), driving energy use, CO2 intensity when powered by fossil heat/compression, and barriers to smaller or renewable-coupled plants. Precious-metal (e.g. Ru) alternative catalysts raise cost and supply-chain concentration risk.

Application contexts

• Fuel ammonia production cost and energy reduction
• Green ammonia from renewable hydrogen
• Potential retrofit or new-build Haber-Bosch catalyst evaluation
• Distributed or mid-scale ammonia synthesis studies

Technical principle

Iron-based catalyst combined with metal hydride (aluminum hydride / hydride-iron inverse structure per Science Tokyo public description) increases electron donation to iron surface sites that cleave N≡N, raising ammonia formation rate at lower T/P. Public MOU text cites demonstrated synthesis under low-temperature low-pressure conditions (e.g. on the order of 100°C and 1 MPa in partner communications); Science Tokyo 2025 release describes inverse-structure hydride-iron formed in situ from Al-treated iron oxide under synthesis conditions and higher volumetric activity versus industrial iron catalyst in lab comparisons.

Typical use cases

• Evaluation of Fe-hydride catalyst lots for ammonia synthesis pilots
• Joint development of low-T/P ammonia process packages with EPC partners
• Non-Ru catalyst option screening for green fuel-ammonia projects