Carbon Advanced Reactive Membranes for Ammonia Synthesis and Decomposition

Descrizione del progetto

CARMA verde: il futuro dell’ammoniaca

La transizione globale verso l’energia pulita richiede metodi efficienti per lo stoccaggio e il trasporto dell’idrogeno, e l’ammoniaca verde si sta affermando come un vettore promettente. Tuttavia, gli attuali metodi di produzione e decomposizione dell’ammoniaca continuano a essere altamente energivori e inefficienti. Con il sostegno del programma di azioni Marie Skłodowska-Curie, il progetto CARMA-SD affronterà questa sfida sviluppando una nuova classe di membrane catalitiche a base di carbonio che combinano reazioni chimiche e separazione dei gas in un’unica fase efficiente. Con l’ingegnerizzazione di questi materiali mediante nanoparticelle metalliche, il progetto mira ad aumentare la produzione riducendo al contempo in modo significativo il consumo energetico. Oltre ai progressi scientifici, CARMA-SD consentirà di convalidare per la prima volta queste tecnologie sostenibili, sostenendo gli obiettivi del Green Deal dell’UE e rafforzando la leadership nell’innovazione nel settore delle energie rinnovabili.

Obiettivo

The transition toward a decarbonized energy system requires efficient solutions for the large-scale storage and transport of renewable energy. Among the available options, ammonia (NH3) has recently emerged as a promising hydrogen carrier, thanks to its high hydrogen density, existing storage and distribution infrastructure, and well-established industrial know-how. However, the current synthesis and decomposition routes for ammonia remain highly energy-intensive and limited in efficiency, hindering the deployment of Green Ammonia as a practical energy vector.
The project CARMA-SD (Carbon Advanced Reactive Membranes for Ammonia Synthesis and Decomposition) aims to address this challenge by developing a new class of catalytic carbon membranes (CCMs). These membranes will be engineered with tailored porosity and functionalized with metallic nanoparticles, enabling them to simultaneously act as selective separation units and catalytic supports. By integrating catalytic and separation functionalities into a single material, CCMs are expected to significantly intensify both ammonia synthesis and decomposition processes, lowering energy demands and enhancing process performance.
The methodology combines advanced synthesis of carbon membranes, heterogeneous catalysis, kinetic modeling, and reactor engineering, leveraging the unique expertise of the host group at TU/e in membrane reactors and process intensification. The project will generate fundamental knowledge on CCMs and validate their performance for the first time in ammonia-related reactions. Beyond scientific advances, CARMA-SD will contribute to the development of more efficient and sustainable Green Ammonia technologies, reinforcing Europe’s leadership in renewable energy innovation and supporting the EU Green Deal objectives.