transforming their innovative lab-scale concepts for nanocatalyst production into a tangible, pilot-scale reality
It’s wonderful to see deeptech becoming a growing reality. Nium, the next-generation-ammonia venture from Cambridge Cohort 3 of our Venture Builder Programme, has successfully designed, built and delivered their long-anticipated First-of-a-Kind Catalyst production facility. This represents a significant milestone for Nium.
This milestone is the result of an intensive 2-year journey, transforming their innovative lab-scale concepts for nanocatalyst production into a tangible, pilot-scale reality. The project, funded by Innovate UK, was a truly collaborative effort between the team at Nium, advanced surface engineering equipment experts at Teer Coatings Ltd, and catalyst imaging specialists at Cardiff University.
Nium’s main challenge was re-engineering a lab system for high-throughput production. Simply scaling up existing concepts would have been impractical, so they developed a novel design system that allows for continuous processing. This bespoke machine is key to creating their proprietary precision nanocatalysts at scale, which will help make green ammonia production more efficient and less energy-intensive, suitable for decentralised, local production at competitive price points.
Photo of the newly arrived production facility | Credit: Nium’s Cofounder and CTO Yubiao Niu.
This prototype is a game-changer for Nium
Now that the main vessel has arrived, they are moving into the final commissioning stages. This will allow them to begin optimising the running conditions and producing catalyst for their first pilot projects. This prototype is a game-changer for Nium. It moves their technology from the laboratory bench to a pilot-scale manufacturing capability, advancing a UK-based capability for these advanced materials.
The system is engineered to produce Nium’s nanocatalysts using a solvent-free, waste-minimising method, which is a much cleaner and more efficient process. Once fully operational, it will provide the quantity of catalyst needed for full-scale system testing and to supply our early commercial partners, creating a solid foundation for our commercial deployment and our mission to support Net Zero and global food security.