Breakthrough in Nanotechnology: Ammonia-Based Hydrogen Production

Researchers at Xinjiang Normal University have made a significant discovery in the field of nanotechnology, developing a catalyst that can efficiently decompose ammonia to produce hydrogen at low temperatures. This breakthrough has the potential to revolutionize the hydrogen production industry, providing a sustainable and environmentally friendly alternative to traditional methods.

Key Takeaways:

• The research team synthesized a series of Co-based catalysts coated with nitrogen-doped carbon (Co@CN), derived from the metal-organic framework ZIF-67, which achieved an impressive 100% ammonia decomposition rate with a hydrogen production rate of 10 mmol H2 per gram of catalyst per minute at 550°C and a gas hourly space velocity of 9,000 mL per gram of catalyst per hour.
• The Co@CN-600 catalyst exhibited a lower activation energy of 79.40 kJ per mole and demonstrated a higher catalytic activity compared to reported Co-based catalysts, rivaling even that of Ru-based catalysts.
• The ZIF-67 derived Co@CN catalyst presented a long-term stability for ammonia decomposition, with a uniform dispersion of Co nanoparticles within a nitrogen-doped carbon support that enhanced the synergistic interaction between Co and N species.
• The research provided a design framework for the development of low-temperature, highly efficient non-precious metal catalysts for ammonia decomposition, offering innovative insights for low-carbon hydrogen production.

Statistics:

• The Co@CN-600 catalyst achieved a hydrogen production rate of 10 mmol H2 per gram of catalyst per minute.
• The catalyst exhibited a lower activation energy of 79.40 kJ per mole.
• The ZIF-67 derived Co@CN catalyst presented a long-term stability for ammonia decomposition.
• The research has the potential to reduce the carbon footprint of the hydrogen production industry.

Sources:

• NewsRx. 2025. Recent Research from Xinjiang Normal University Highlight Findings in Nanoparticles (Metal-organic Framework Zif-67 Derived Co@cn Catalysts for the Promising Generation of Hydrogen From Ammonia Decomposition). News of Science. October 26, 2025; p 2897.
• Metal-organic Framework Zif-67 Derived Co@cn Catalysts for the Promising Generation of Hydrogen From Ammonia Decomposition. Fuel, 2025;398.

(Elsevier Sci Ltd, 125 London Wall, London, England. www.elsevier.com; Fuel - www.journals.elsevier.com/fuel/).