chemistrychemistry September–November 2020 in Australia Fertile future for sustainable fuel chemaust.raci.org.au • The pressing concern of water security • Louis Pasteur, father of microbiology and virology • The problem of patenting polymorphs www.rowe.com.au Online 24 hours 7 days a week, by phone or face to face, we give you the choice. INSTRUMENTS - CONSUMABLES - CHEMICALS - SERVICE & REPAIRS A 100% Australian owned company, supplying scientific laboratories since 1987. South Australia & NT Queensland Victoria & Tasmania New South Wales Western Australia Ph: (08) 8186 0523 Ph: (07) 3376 9411 Ph: (03) 9701 7077 Ph: (02) 9603 1205 Ph: (08) 9302 1911 ISO 9001:2015 LIC 10372
[email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] SAI Global REF535 X:\MARKETING\ADVERTISING\CHEMISTRY IN AUSTRALIA September–November 2020 36 cover story Towards the hydrogen–ammonia economy The race towards sustainable synthesis of ammonia is underway. 16 Used mainly in fertilisers, this simple molecule is predicted to become a big player in renewable energy exports and energy security, as a liquid fuel replacement for fossil fuels. iStockphoto/Petmal 20 High and dry: priorities for our water insecurity 4 Editorial For the driest inhabited continent on the planet, water security is a pressing 5 Your say concern. news & research 24 Louis Pasteur: his chemistry and microbiology 7 On the market After making landmark discoveries in optical isomerism, tireless chemist Louis 8 News Pasteur progressed to work that would mark him as the father of microbiology 12 Research and virology. members 29 New Fellow 29 Obituaries 38 views & reviews 32 Books 34 Technology & innovation 36 Environment 38 Science for fun 40 Grapevine 41 Letter from Melbourne 42 Cryptic chemistry 42 Events chemaust.raci.org.au editorial A visual treatment This year is the World Health Organization’s International Year of the Nurse and Midwife, which includes the 200th anniversary of Florence Nightingale’s birth.