Self-Sustained Hydrogen Production

Background:

Hydrogen offers advantages as a clean and safe fuel for broad applications, but its storage and transport are expensive.  Conversely, ammonia is an effective hydrogen carrier, as it contains 17.6% hydrogen by weight and can be economically stored and transported.  As such, there is a relevant and immediate need for a highly energy-efficient and compact system converting ammonia back to hydrogen for immediate use as a fuel.

Technology Overview:

This University at Buffalo technology offers a self-sustained, compact reactor for continuous hydrogen production from ammonia decomposition.  Proprietary technology combines an active catalyst for ammonia decomposition with a uniquely selective hydrogen capture membrane, self-sustained through an optimized hydrogen burner that requires no external power source once initiated.

Advantages:

• High conversion of ammonia to hydrogen (>99%)
• High energy efficiency (>80%) at temperature <450ºC
• Delivers >99% pure product
• Production rate of 5kg H₂/day at higher rate per volume (packaged system >0.15 g H_2/h/cm³)
• Low delivery cost of <$4.50/kg with the current prototype

Applications:

• Hydrogen fuel cells
• Hydrogen reactant production for further synthesis applications

Intellectual Property Summary:

US Provisional Patent Application 63/651,376 filed on May 23, 2024.

Stage of Development:

Laboratory demonstration and analytical chemical analysis.

Licensing Status:

Available for licensing or collaboration.