Absorption and Desorption Of Hydrogen in Metal Hydrides

Hydrogen storage is a significant challenge for the development and viability of
hydrogen mobile and stationary applications. Current hydrogen storage approaches
involve compressed hydrogen gas tanks, liquid hydrogen tanks, cryogenic compressed
hydrogen, metal hydrides, high-surface-area adsorbents, and chemical hydrogen storage
materials.
Storage as a gas or liquid or storage in metal hydrides or high-surface-area adsorbents
constitutes "reversible" on-board hydrogen storage systems because hydrogen
regeneration or refill can take place on-board the vehicle. For chemical hydrogen
storage approaches (such as a chemical reaction on-board the vehicle to produce
hydrogen), hydrogen regeneration is not possible on-board the vehicle; and thus, these
spent materials must be removed from the vehicle and regenerated off-board.
Storage of hydrogen in metal hydrides has a drawback of a heavy absorbent material,
but the advantage of a smaller pressure and less safety precautions.
Thus, the objective of the project is to study the thermodynamics and kinetics of
hydrogen storage in metal hydrides with minimum loss of energy and at low cost, for
affordability for mobile applications.