The 2044 Toyota Prius might just be powered by… ammonia. Ammonia is combustible, and holds promise as a relatively low-effort way to decarbonize the internal combustion engine – but the devil’s in the details. Join George as he discovers at least one detail by burning stuff in his basement.

*Note:* the model piston we used in this video shows air and fuel entering the cylinder together. This design was prevalent in engines until roughly the 1990s. These days, air and fuel enter separately. The combustion process and piston movement are the same!

#AmmoniaEngine

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Credits:
Executive Producer: 
Matthew Radcliff

Producers: 
Elaine Seward 
Andrew Sobey 
Darren Weaver

Writer:
George Zaidan

Host:
George Zaidan

Scientific Consultants:
Agustin Valera-Medina Ph.D.
Michelle Boucher, Ph.D.
Leila Duman, Ph.D.

Executive in Charge for PBS: Maribel Lopez
Director of Programming for PBS: Gabrielle Ewing
Assistant Director of Programming for PBS: John Campbell

Reactions is a production of the American Chemical Society.
© 2023 American Chemical Society. All rights reserved.



Sources:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1HPNzoxqb5dNcuPPUhdmC0OdwHlqZQk4Zgtt4T3hQyoc/edit