It may come as a surprise, but hydrogen does have the potential to be an alternative source for clean energy generation because of its lightweight, high energy density, availability and its harmless by-product, i.e. water. But there are some problems relating to hydrogen’s replacement of petrol. It has to be safely and densely stored to be practically utilized. However, such storage technology has not advanced much in recent years, at least until now.
In a nearly revolutionary breakthrough, scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) in the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) have contrived a new composite material for hydrogen storage which consists of nanoparticles of magnesium metal sprayed through a matrix of polymethyl methacrylate, a polymer used in Plexiglas. This nano-composite material can absorb and release hydrogen at a controlled rate and temperature without oxidizing the metal container. Hence, stored hydrogen can be practically and efficiently used in fuel cells and batteries.
Jeff Urban, Deputy Director of Berkeley Lab said:
This work showcases our ability to design composite nanoscale materials that overcome fundamental thermodynamic and kinetic barriers to realize a materials combination that has been very elusive historically. Moreover, we are able to productively leverage the unique properties of both the polymer and nanoparticle in this new composite material, which may have broad applicability to related problems in other areas of energy research.
Via: Physorg
