Monash Ammonia Team

Doug MacFarlane: We were faced with several challenges, such as quantification of ammonia in organic solvents and identification of contaminants, that had never been tackled by anyone previously. This is an incredibly complex process. When broken down into the most elementary steps, there could be as many as 18 distinct steps required at the electrode to take a single nitrogen molecule, split it up and turn it into two molecules of ammonia. Understanding which of these might be limiting the rate and how we can pull external ’levers‘ to accelerate them is a big challenge.

Alexandr Simonov: Each team member contributes something unique to our work. However, one of the key strengths of our team goes beyond professional skills and is in the very strong, unconditional mutual support; helping each other with monitoring the long-term experiments over sleepless nights, running complex multistep syntheses, undertaking laborious purification procedures, and clean-up after experiments. The success of our work would never be possible without a concerted effort from a diverse and harmonious team of highly talented scientists motivated by achieving one globally important goal.

Hoang-Long Du: The technology being developed has the potential to create a significant impact by delocalising ammonia production. This breakthrough could help countries access ammonia production without having to invest vast sums of money in building mega-infrastructure or incurring expensive transportation and storage costs. Consequently, the widespread use of green ammonia will be facilitated, thereby reducing pollution and greenhouse gases from conventional production processes. The possibility of producing ammonia on a smaller scale, using renewable energy sources, could revolutionise the industry and pave the way for a more sustainable future.

Rebecca Hodgetts: It could quite literally change the world. Success in this field means replacing carbon based fossil fuel technology with a truly renewable fuel source, Ammonia is particularly attractive because of its energy density – it is a fuel alternative that can offer consumers a genuine upgrade to the fuels they are already acclimatised to.

Andrew Nattestad: Due to dependence on nitrogenous fertilisers, food production is, at present, highly susceptible to geo-political events. This approach facilitates a decentralised approach to fertiliser production, capable of using renewable energy at times when it is available in abundance and otherwise may be wasted. This could also lead to a massive shift in the way we produce food – not only decarbonising the processes but also democratising them.

Andrew Nattestad: We are in the process of scaling this technology through our spin-out company Jupiter Ionics, to create commercial scale reactors, able to produce sufficient nitrogenous fertiliser to cover the needs of an entire farm.

Doug MacFarlane: Scale up to practical levels of production is the next challenge. The electrochemistry itself is proven, but all of the surrounding ’balance of plant’ items that need to go with it have yet to be put together into a functioning device.

Hoang-Long Du: Our common motivations of scientific curiosity, social responsibility, and environmental stewardship inspire us to make meaningful contributions through our research. As researchers, we recognise the significance of our work and strive to maintain focus and dedication towards achieving our goals. We understand that even small contributions can have a significant impact on the future of our planet and generations to come. In our group, we are committed to upholding the highest standards of ethical conduct and accountability to ensure the credibility and integrity of our research. Through our collective efforts, we hope to promote sustainable development and address global challenges, contributing to the well-being of society and the environment.

Rebecca Hodgetts: If it is true that no one person can know everything, then it follows that to truly answer a complex question or to solve a problem you need input from multiple sources. We are lucky that in our team, we have experts in a wide range of fields. We can draw from this to attack a problem from multiple sides and build a comprehensive solution. Working as a team is important because you need someone to hold you accountable, to questions your interpretations and push you further to provide comprehensive proof of your claims.

Jacinta Bakker: Chemistry comprises a wide range of topics. While studying, endeavour to include as many of these as possible, firstly so you know which aspects of chemistry suit you best and secondly to widen your experience to be job ready and for collaboration with other researchers. Network as often as you can to expand your professional and social circles.