Hydrogen storage composition and method

Patent · Wed Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2003

OSTI ID:875088

Heung, Leung K ^[1]; Wicks, George G ^[1]

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1. Aiken, SC

A hydrogen storage composition based on a metal hydride dispersed in an aerogel prepared by a sol-gel process. The starting material for the aerogel is an organometallic compound, including the alkoxysilanes, organometals of the form M(OR)x and MOxRy, where R is an alkyl group of the form C.sub.n H.sub.2n+1, M is an oxide-forming metal, n, x, and y are integers, and y is two less than the valence of M. A sol is prepared by combining the starting material, alcohol, water, and an acid. The sol is conditioned to the proper viscosity and a hydride in the form of a fine powder is added. The mixture is polymerized and dried under supercritical conditions. The final product is a composition having a hydride uniformly dispersed throughout an inert, stable and highly porous matrix. It is capable of absorbing up to 30 moles of hydrogen per kilogram at room temperature and pressure, rapidly and reversibly. Hydrogen absorbed by the composition can be readily be recovered by heat or evacuation.

• Research Organization: Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC09-89SR18035
• Assignee: Westinghouse Savannah River Company, L.L.C. (Aiken, SC)
• Patent Number(s): US 6528441
• OSTI ID: 875088
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

hydrogen
storage
composition
method
based
metal
hydride
dispersed
aerogel
prepared
sol-gel
process
starting
material
organometallic
compound
including
alkoxysilanes
organometals
form
morx
moxry
alkyl
csubn
hsub2n1
oxide-forming
integers
valence
sol
combining
alcohol
water
acid
conditioned
proper
viscosity
fine
powder
added
mixture
polymerized
dried
supercritical
conditions
final
product
uniformly
throughout
inert
stable
highly
porous
matrix
capable
absorbing
30
moles
kilogram
temperature
pressure
rapidly
reversibly
absorbed
readily
recovered
heat
evacuation
metal hydride
organometallic compound
sol-gel process
storage composition
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