Mechanical Processing in Hydrogen Storage Research and Development
- PDF / 622,983 Bytes
- 10 Pages / 612 x 792 pts (letter) Page_size
- 36 Downloads / 208 Views
1209-P01-05
Mechanical Processing in Hydrogen Storage Research and Development.
Viktor P. Balema Aldrich Materials Science, Sigma-Aldrich Corp.6000 N. Teutonia Av., Milwaukee, WI 53209 USA ABSTRACT The article addresses an experimental approach, which proved to be indispensable in basic and applied hydrogen storage R&D—the preparation and modification of hydrogen-rich materials using mechanical processing. A possible mechanism of mechanically induced transformations in solid materials is highlighted. INTRODUCTION For more than a decade, hydrogen as an alternative to traditional energy sources such as oil, coal and natural gas has been the focus of research and development efforts in all technologically advanced countries of the world. It is strongly believed that hydrogen can address the growing demand for energy and slow down global climate change. Hydrogen can be produced from a variety of sources including renewables and photolytic water splitting [1,2]. It is non-toxic and, as an energy carrier, extremely environmentally benign. Water is the only product formed during the conversion of hydrogen into energy. Despite apparent benefits, an immediate incorporation of hydrogen into the world economy faces serious challenges. Unlike oil and natural gas, hydrogen has no large-scale infrastructure supporting its transportation. Although it is routinely used by chemical and refining industries, the cost of hydrogen storage and delivery is still too high for many energy applications. A hydrogen-based economy is currently envisioned as a combination of five key elements – Production, Delivery, Storage, Conversion, and Applications - which are at different stages of technological advancement. While hydrogen production and conversion are already technologically feasible, its delivery and storage face serious challenges [1,2]. Storing hydrogen in solids - metal hydrides, composites or mesoporous materials - offers a unique opportunity for its convenient and safe use in a variety of automotive, portable and stationary applications. Unfortunately, none of the materials currently on the market fully satisfy the needs of end users [3], which explains considerable interest in hydrogen energy related research and development. The article below provides a brief overview of an experimental approach that proved to be indispensable for basic and applied hydrogen storage research. It uses mechanical force in the form of milling or grinding for nano-scale design of novel hydrogen storage materials. This paper focuses on the chemical effect of mechanical processing. Physical and structural changes occurring in solids under mechanical stress have been reviewed elsewhere [4,5]. MECHANOCHEMICAL PROCESSING IN MATERIALS DESIGN. Although mechanical milling and grinding have been routinely used in the processing of solids for hundreds of years, systematic studies into their chemical effects began relatively
recently [4]. By the end of the 20th century, chemical conversion of solids upon mechanical processing, also known as mechanical alloyin
Data Loading...
