Storage of hydrogen in nanostructured carbon materials

Recent developments focusing on novel hydrogen storage media have helped to benchmark nanostructured carbon materials as one of the ongoing strategic research areas in science and technology. In particular, certain microporous carbon powders, carbon nanomaterials, and specifically carbon nanotubes stand to deliver unparalleled performance as the next generation of base materials for storing hydrogen. Accordingly, the main goal of this report is to overview the challenges, distinguishing traits, and apparent contradictions of carbon-based hydrogen storage technologies and to emphasize recently developed nanostructured carbon materials that show potential to store hydrogen by physisorption and/or chemisorption mechanisms. Specifically touched upon are newer material preparation methods as well as experimental and theoretical attempts to elucidate, improve or predict hydrogen storage capacities, sorption–desorption kinetics, microscopic uptake mechanisms and temperature–pressure–loading interrelations in nanostructured carbons, particularly microporous powders and carbon nanotubes

Fundamental open questions on engineering of "super" hydrogen sorption in graphite nanofibers: relevance for clean energy applications

Herein, some fundamental open questions on engineering of “super” hydrogen sorption (storage) in carbonaceous nanomaterials are considered, namely: 1) on thermodynamic stability and related characteristics of some hydrogenated graphene layers nanostructures: relevance to the hydrogen storage problem; 2) determination of thermodynamic characteristics of graphene hydrides; 3) a treatment and interpretation of some recent STM, STS, HREELS/LEED, PES, ARPS and Raman spectroscopy data on hydrogensorbtion with epitaxial graphenes; 4) on the physics of intercalation of hydrogen into surface graphene-like nanoblisters in pyrolytic graphite and epitaxial graphenes; 5) on the physics of the elastic and plastic deformation of graphene walls in hydrogenated graphite nanofibers; 6) on the physics of engineering of “super” hydrogen sorption (storage) in carbonaceous nanomaterials, in the light of analysis of the Rodriguez-Baker extraordinary data and some others. These fundamental open questions may be solved within several years

Fed batch production of hydrogen from palm oil mill effluent using anaerobic microflora

Anaerobic production of hydrogen from palm oil mill effluent (POME) by microflora was investigated in 5-l bioreactor at 60 °C and pH 5.5. POME sludge was collected from the anaerobic pond of a POME treatment plant at a palm oil mill and used as a source of inocula. A batch reactor was found to yield a total of 4708 ml H2H2/(l POME) and the maximum evolution rate was 454 ml-H2H2/(l POME h). A fed batch process was conducted after 50 h. Two liters of reaction medium was removed and 2 l of fresh POME was added to the reactor every 24 h (15 times). The reproducibility of the fed batch process checked by changing the feeding time every 8 h (10 times). A yield of 2382 ml H2H2/(l POME) and 2419 ml H2H2/(l POME) at maximum evolution rate of 313 ml H2H2/(l POME h) and 436 ml H2H2/(l POME h) were obtained, respectively. Throughout the study, methane gas was not observed in the evolved gas mixture

The fusion-hydrogen energy system

This paper will describe the structure of the system, from energy generation and hydrogen production through distribution to the end users. It will show how stationary energy users will convert to hydrogen and will outline ancillary uses of hydrogen to aid in reducing other forms of pollution. It will show that the adoption of the fusion hydrogen energy system will facilitate the use of renewable energy such as wind and solar. The development of highly efficient fuel cells for production of electricity near the user and for transportation will be outlined. The safety of the hydrogen fusion energy system is addressed. This paper will show that the combination of fusion generation combined with hydrogen distribution will provide a system capable of virtually eliminating the negative impact on the environment from the use of energy by humanity. In addition, implementation of the energy system will provide techniques and tools that can ameliorate environmental problems unrelated to energy use.