Is Ammonia the Fuel of Future? Direct Ammonia Fuel Cell (DAFC) as an Alternative Energy Infrastructure

The exponential rise in population and escalating transportation demands necessitate a strategic and sustainable approach to carbon-free infrastructure development. The continuous depletion of non-renewable fuels has already emerged as a socio-economic crisis for the next generations. To tackle this challenge, researchers are exploring alternative solutions. Hydrogen stands out as a top carbon-free energy carrier but faces hurdles like transport and storage limitations. In a nutshell, ammonia, a next-generation green fuel, is perhaps the key solution as it can serve as a potential indirect H₂ storage medium in the coming days. Globally, scientists and researchers are exploring innovative ways to generate green energy by modifying synthesized materials and refining working principles. However, ammonia fuel cell (AFC) intends to be popular amongst all those awaited fuel cells as presently lying with the same ethos in terms of producing carbon-free energy and zero CO₂ tolerance. This review article offers a concise overview of material-based advancements in contemporary AFC research, focusing on metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), layered double hydroxides (LDHs), spinel, and perovskite, along with their technological perspectives. Additionally, it highlights the sustainability challenges in developing better alternative processes for ammonia production.