Catalysts developed for conversion of urea into hydrogen

The unique characteristics of urea make it a suitable medium for hydrogen storage. It is non-toxic, dissolves well in water and has a high hydrogen content with a mass fraction of 6.7 per cent. Thus, electrolysis of urea to produce hydrogen is more energy efficient and economical than electrolysis of water.

Urea itself is an inexpensive nitrogenous agricultural fertiliser and a natural product of human metabolism. Urea-rich agricultural runoff and municipal wastewater flows into natural water bodies, causing harmful algal blooms and dissolved oxygen deficiencies.