Unlocking ammonia’s potential to deliver clean energy globally
At Johnson Matthey, we understand the urgent need to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions and achieve climate neutrality by 2050. To meet this ambitious goal, the world will require a substantial supply chain of up to 400 million tonnes of clean hydrogen and its derivatives. Ammonia holds great promise as a hydrogen carrier for long-distance transport, provided it can be efficiently "cracked" back into nitrogen and hydrogen.
We are proud to play a vital role in the decarbonisation of the ammonia industry through our innovative clean ammonia synthesis catalysts and cutting-edge ammonia cracking catalysts and licensed technology.
Partner with us to confidently drive real progress towards a more sustainable future, as we advance clean ammonia solutions and support the global shift towards a low-carbon economy.
Johnson Matthey's ammonia cracking process
Our ammonia cracking process uses JM’s expertise in steam methane reforming (SMR) technology and ammonia catalysis to deliver futureproofed flowsheet concepts which seamlessly switch between natural gas and ammonia firing.
Ammonia Firing
Natural gas firing
Cracked gas firing
High-performance ammonia cracking catalysts
As a global provider of ammonia cracking technology and catalysts, Johnson Matthey delivers tailored solutions for both large-scale, centralised energy grid applications and smaller decentralised units for consumer fuel use.
Our established KATALCO™ ammonia cracking catalysts offer a proven 50-year track record, delivering reliable and efficient performance across a wide range of applications.
KATALCO™ 27-2
A nickel-based ammonia cracking catalyst that has been used in ammonia cracking applications for over 50 years. A highly active catalyst that typically operating 650 - 950°C, giving high hydrogen yields due to low residual ammonia levels at this temperature range.
KATALCO™ 27-200MQ
A nickel-based ammonia cracking catalyst that leverages the proven chemistry of KATALCO 27-2 and applies the benefits of improved heat transfer of Johnson Matthey’s QUADRALOBE™ shape to the ammonia cracking reaction. This high geometric surface area catalyst typically operates in the range 650 – 950°C and benefits from enhanced heat transfer performance to maximise process efficiency.
KATALCO™ 27-612
A ruthenium-based ammonia cracking catalyst developed for low temperature ammonia cracking. This catalyst typically operates in
the range 400 – 500°C, substantially extending the available operating range for ammonia cracking applications. The overall economics of a low temperature application will be a balance between the savings from a lower temperature operation and the increased catalyst costs of ruthenium.
