A review on high-density methane storage in confined nanospace by adsorption-hydration hybrid technology

Abstract

The technology of methane storage by the adsorption-hydration hybrid (AHH) combines the adsorbed natural gas (ANG) and natural gas hydrate (NGH) methods to store gas in porous materials. This technology can overcome the shortcomings of ANG and NGH methods and attract more and more attention, owning to high methane storage performance, mild storage conditions, and promotion of hydrate formation kinetics. However, there is still a lack of a systematic review on the progress of this technology, and the understanding of the formation of methane hydrate in confined nanospace is still insufficient. This review discusses the research on methane storage by AHH technology in different porous materials, including carbon materials, silica, silica gel, zeolite, and metal-organic frameworks materials. Subsequently, the main factors affecting the AHH technology are detailed elucidated, including pore size, particle size, surface properties, water content, temperature, and pressure conditions. In addition, this article discusses the mechanism of methane storage by AHH technology from two aspects of experimental research and molecular simulations (including Monte Carlo and molecular dynamics), which are helpful to understand the complex microscopic physical and chemical processes of this technology. Finally, the main challenges faced by the AHH technology in industrial applications and future development directions of this field are proposed.