Research Projects

This project aims to develop a scalable and continuous electrochemical flow reactor platform for green hydrogen and ammonia-based carbon-free energy carriers, to strengthen India’s energy security and sustainability goals. Hydrogen and ammonia are critical enablers of a carbon-free energy economy. While hydrogen is a clean and high-energy-density fuel, its storage and transport remain challenging. Ammonia, with its high hydrogen content, ease of liquefaction, and established infrastructure, is a highly promising hydrogen carrier and carbon-free fuel in its own right. However, conventional ammonia production and utilization are energy-intensive and carbon-emissive. To address these challenges, the project proposes an integrated approach to produce green hydrogen at scale, store it as ammonia, and recover hydrogen and energy from ammonia on demand — establishing a sustainable, secure, and efficient energy cycle for India’s future needs. We hypothesize that bifunctional single-atom Ru catalysts supported on CuxW₁₋ₓSe₂ (Ru SAC@CuxW₁₋ₓSe₂) can deliver superior performance for both hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and ammonia oxidation reaction (AOR) in a continuous flow architecture. Preliminary studies indicate these catalysts exhibit excellent activity and durability for both reactions. We propose deploying these catalysts in a 1 m²-area electrolyzer reactor to achieve green hydrogen production exceeding 1 kg/hour, its conversion to approximately 300 liters/hour of ammonia via an indigenous Haber-Bosch reactor, and efficient hydrogen and energy recovery from ammonia electrolysis with over 70% efficiency — demonstrating ammonia’s viability as a carbon-free energy carrier for India’s energy security. The main experiments include: • Computational screening and synthesis of bifunctional Ru SAC@CuxW₁₋ₓSe₂ catalysts. • Electrochemical characterization of HER and AOR performance. • Fabrication and testing of flow electrolyzers and ammonia electrolysis reactors at laboratory and pilot scales. • Integration with a custom-designed indigenous Haber-Bosch reactor for ammonia synthesis. • Optimization of process efficiency and costs using machine learning. • Advanced spectroscopic and microscopic characterization to investigate catalyst structure, reaction intermediates, and durability under operational conditions. The project is designed to advance the technology from TRL 2–3 (current laboratory-level proof-of-concept) to TRL 4–5 (validated and scalable prototype), delivering a robust platform for the continuous production, storage, and utilization of green hydrogen and ammonia. By establishing ammonia as a practical, carbon-free energy carrier, the project directly addresses India’s need for secure, clean, and sustainable energy solutions in alignment with the National Green Hydrogen Mission. Its successful completion will enhance India’s energy independence and reinforce its global leadership in next-generation sustainable energy technologies.