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22-08-2021, 11:54 AM
Osmond Chia
PUBLISHED 6 HOURS AGO
Found naturally in the urine of mammals, urea is used as a fertiliser in many farms to produce food for half of the world's population.
But mass production of the compound has been widely criticised, because the process at industrial plants leaves a high carbon footprint that damages the environment.
The manufacturing of urea alone is responsible for 2 per cent of global energy consumption
......
To pave the way for a more sustainable agriculture industry, a team of scientists from Nanyang Technological University (NTU) has developed a greener and cheaper way of producing urea.
This method uses electricity to trigger chemical reactions in a solution to create the compound. Reactions occur at room temperature and can take place on large and small scales, even in a glass jar.
This is in stark contrast to the process in high-pressure chambers at industrial plants. The chambers go up to 500 deg C, generating heavy carbon emissions.
NTU's method uses less energy and does not require high heat. Nitrate instead of the usual ammonia is used to combine with carbon dioxide in the air, and indium hydroxide serves as a catalyst.
"This is a room temperature-based process, with some wires. It is much, much cheaper. With high pressure, you need costly equipment that is very strong to withstand certain temperatures," said NTU's Professor Alex Yan, co-lead author of the study, which was published in peer-reviewed scientific journal Nature Sustainability last month.
......
"You can do this set-up anywhere - any farmer can create urea with this method. It is something that can be used in a backyard," he said.
https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/c...fertiliser
PUBLISHED 6 HOURS AGO
Found naturally in the urine of mammals, urea is used as a fertiliser in many farms to produce food for half of the world's population.
But mass production of the compound has been widely criticised, because the process at industrial plants leaves a high carbon footprint that damages the environment.
The manufacturing of urea alone is responsible for 2 per cent of global energy consumption
......
To pave the way for a more sustainable agriculture industry, a team of scientists from Nanyang Technological University (NTU) has developed a greener and cheaper way of producing urea.
This method uses electricity to trigger chemical reactions in a solution to create the compound. Reactions occur at room temperature and can take place on large and small scales, even in a glass jar.
This is in stark contrast to the process in high-pressure chambers at industrial plants. The chambers go up to 500 deg C, generating heavy carbon emissions.
NTU's method uses less energy and does not require high heat. Nitrate instead of the usual ammonia is used to combine with carbon dioxide in the air, and indium hydroxide serves as a catalyst.
"This is a room temperature-based process, with some wires. It is much, much cheaper. With high pressure, you need costly equipment that is very strong to withstand certain temperatures," said NTU's Professor Alex Yan, co-lead author of the study, which was published in peer-reviewed scientific journal Nature Sustainability last month.
......
"You can do this set-up anywhere - any farmer can create urea with this method. It is something that can be used in a backyard," he said.
https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/c...fertiliser
