Ammonia
Ammonia is a chemical compound composing of one nitrogen atom and three hydrogen atoms NH3. Ammonia is foul smelling and is toxic to humans. However, ammonia is often used as an artificial fertilizer for plants to provide nitrogen. Ammonia could be used as a coolant or refrigerant and is useful in industry. Ammonia can be generated from human and animal waste, but first, the Nitrogen needs to be extracted from the Martian atmosphere by atmospheric processing.
In Situ Production
- Ammonia can be created through nitrogen fixing microbes in greenhouses and photobioreactors, as well as some methanotrophs.
- Ammonia can be created industrially by combining nitrogen with hydrogen in an optimized low pressure[1] low temperature [2] Haber reactor.
- Ammonia can be produced from protein and other biomass using microbes[3]
Uses
- It can be a non cryogenic storage of hydrogen as it can be split through catalytic decomposition[4].
- It can be used as fertilizer, or can be used to produce urea and other more effective fertilizers.
- It can be used as a feedstock in industrial chemistry
