by In a new breakthrough, scientists at QUT have discovered a sustainable method for producing urea, a vital agricultural fertilizer, at room temperature. This innovative approach eliminates the need for the large energy input required in traditional methods of synthetic urea production.
Dr. Junxian Liu, the first author of the study, collaborated with co-researchers Professor Yuantong Gu and Associate Professor Liangzhi Kou from the School of Mechanical, Medical, and Process Engineering. Their research, titled “C–N Coupling Enabled by N–N Bond Breaking for Electrochemical Urea Production,” was published in Advanced Functional Materials.
Urea plays a crucial role in supporting around 27% of global crop production. It is also a fundamental raw material used in various manufacturing industries, including pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and plastics.
While urea does occur naturally in the environment, it is insufficient to meet the growing global demand due to population growth and the expansion of agriculture and related industries.
The traditional industrial production of synthetic urea involves the reaction of ammonia and carbon dioxide at extremely high temperatures and pressures. This process consumes a significant amount of energy.
The research team proposed a novel solution for synthesizing urea by utilizing a chemical reaction between nitrogen and carbon monoxide with the help of a graphene-based catalyst. Importantly, this reaction can be carried out at room temperature and atmospheric pressure, substantially reducing the energy input required compared to conventional methods.
Dr. Liu sees this breakthrough as a promising advancement in urea production. Although the work is still in the theoretical stage, the team has identified a catalyst that shows potential for sustainable and energy-efficient urea synthesis.
The next step for the researchers is to collaborate with other research groups to further develop and refine this technology, aiming for practical application in the near future.
This discovery has the potential to revolutionize the production of urea, making it more sustainable and environmentally friendly. With the global population projected to reach 9.7 billion by 2050, ensuring the availability and efficiency of vital agricultural fertilizers like urea is crucial for supporting food production and meeting the needs of a growing population.
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1. Source: Coherent Market Insights, Public sources, Desk research
2. We have leveraged AI tools to mine information and compile it
