Hydrogen Gets Onboard
In this brief review we update progress in research efforts for on-board hydrogen storage for fuel cell powered vehicles. In addition to economic targets, the technological challenges are bounded by volumetric and gravimetric constraints. Specifically, an amoiunt of 4 kg of H2, required to propel a highly fuel efficient automobile for 500 kilometers, must fit into the space of a conventional gasoline tank. The volumetric constraints rule out compressed and liquefied H2 and teach us that hydrogen must be stored as a solid material, either by physi-sorption to high surface area materials or chemically bond (covalent or ionic) to light weight elements. Hydrogen stored on high surface area materials is weakly bound and general requires low temperatures to stabilize the hydrogen. On the other end, hydrogen covalently bound to light metals requires high temperatures to release the hydrogen. One interesting alterative is chemical hydrogen storage (CHS). CHS covers a broad range of materials but is defined as a process whereby the hydrogen is released by a chemical reaction. The reaction could be induced by hydrolysis, a reaction with water, or by thermolysis, heating to moderate temperatures to release hydrogen. The spent material can then be reprocessed or regenerated off-board. Battelle operates the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory for the US Department of Energy.
- Research Organization:
- Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States). Environmental Molecular Sciences Lab. (EMSL)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC05-76RL01830
- OSTI ID:
- 883211
- Report Number(s):
- PNNL-SA-47995; 9601; EB4202000
- Journal Information:
- Chemistry World, (March 2006), Journal Name: Chemistry World, (March 2006)
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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