M. Maddah, G. Richardson, P. Calloch, P. Geraghty, F. Natali
Liquium,
New Zealand
Keywords: rare-earth, ammonia production, catalysts
Summary:
This Research and Development, spearheaded by Liquium, a New-Zealand based startup, addresses the global mandate for sustainable decarbonization of ammonia production by pioneering a new platform of proprietary rare-earth-based catalysts. Liquium’s innovation strategically leverages the unique catalytic properties of these rare-earth materials, directly intersecting with the international imperative for securing the supply chain of critical minerals. By transforming rare-earth — key components in many high-performance applications, but yet unexplored in ammonia production technologies — into high-value catalyst materials, the technology potentially enhances the economic needs of processes related to the extraction of critical minerals from conventional and unconventional sources. Furthermore, the development of specialized nitride phases for catalysis provides a crucial high-specification application, driving the economic justification for advances in critical mineral separation technologies. Finally, the fundamental materials science explored during the synthesis and fabrication of these robust lanthanide nitride catalysts may offer vital knowledge transfer and methodological innovation directly applicable to the processing and stability of innovations in magnet materials and manufacturing techniques.