Abstract
Publisher Summary This chapter presents that hydrogen is the ideal means of energy storage for transportation and conversion of energy in a comprehensive clean-energy concept. Hydrogen can be produced from water using electricity, ideally produced from regenerative sources, such as wind, solar, or water. Upon reconversion into energy, only water vapor is produced, leading to a closed energy cycle without harmful emissions. Apart from stationary applications, hydrogen energy is especially suited for mobile applications, for example, zero-emission vehicles. However, appropriate storage facilities, both for stationary and mobile applications, are complicated because of the very low boiling point of hydrogen and its low density in the gaseous state. Furthermore, the storage of hydrogen in liquid or gaseous forms imposes safety problems, in particular for mobile applications, such as in the future zero-emission vehicles. Metal hydrides are a safe alternative for hydrogen storage due to their long-term stability and low hydrogen pressures. In addition, they have a high volumetric energy density that is about 60% higher than that of liquid hydrogen. Lightweight metal (Mg- and Al-) based hydrides have a high storage capacity by weight and are therefore favored for automotive applications. However, so far, light metal hydrides have not been considered competitive because of their rather sluggish sorption kinetics. Filling a tank could take several hours. A breakthrough in hydrogen storage technology was achieved by preparing nanocrystalline hydrides using high-energy ball milling. These new materials show very fast absorption and desorption kinetics within minutes, thus qualifying lightweight Mg- or Al-based hydrides for storage applications.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
