• eleitl@lemmy.worldEnglish
      2·
      11 months ago

      Haber-Bosch for fertilizer, Fischer-Tropsch for synfuel.

      But, really, we need something with mild conditions and preferably something directly electrosynthesis driven. Large potential for improvement in both.

        • eleitl@lemmy.worldEnglish
          2·
          11 months ago

          The Haber-Bosch approach to breaking the nitrogen triple bond takes a lot of energy in terms of high pressure and temperature which is not present in the product, hence wasted. Ammonia is a fertilizer either as gas or as ammonium nitrate, and too precious to burn.

          Another random fact: half of the combustion enthalpy present in liquid hydrogen has been spent on its liquification.