ETH Zurich Team Makes Major Breakthrough in Sunlight-Driven Fertilizer Production
A team of researchers at ETH Zurich has made a significant breakthrough in fertilizer production. They've developed a method using sunlight, published in Science Advances, which could substantially reduce energy consumption in the process.
The project, supported by several organizations including the Air Force Office of Scientific Research, involves using computer simulations to explore the potential of plasmon-resonance. This technique could significantly lower the energy needed to dissociate atmospheric nitrogen molecules, a key step in producing nitrogen-based synthetic fertilizers.
Currently, the Haber-Bosch process accounts for approximately 2% of global energy use annually. The new method, led by Emily Carter at Princeton University, aims to replace this energy-intensive process with a sunlight-driven, room-temperature alternative. The team is exploring the use of surface plasmon resonance in metallic nanostructures to enhance a catalyst's power to split nitrogen molecules. If successful, this technique could also be applied to other strong chemical bonds, such as those in methane.
The research team's innovative use of sunlight to produce fertilizer could revolutionize the industry. By potentially reducing energy consumption and enabling room-temperature processes, this method could have substantial environmental and economic benefits. Further research and development are needed to bring this technology to practical use.
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