Research & Development
Hydrogen Energy Storage
Our research collocate computational modeling, material synthesis, elemental characterization, and multi-dimensional hydrogen measurements. This approach has allowed H2M to progress rapidly and dynamically leading to a breakthrough in our solid state hydrogen storage nanomaterial.
Conceive/Improve Theoretical Modelling
The theoretical team uses physical chemical theory starting at the quantum level using density functional theory (DFT) to model material composed of the elements that provide a structure and attract hydrogen. Once the theoretical material has been tested on that scale, further models are built using Molecular dynamics, thermodynamic modeling and finally computational fluid dynamic modeling.
The team continuously provide support by modeling the different stages of synthesis to determine the optimal parameters required to achieve the correct synthesis.
Material Synthesis
The synthesis team uses a variety of chemical and physical state alteration techniques to synthesize the desired material. Series of experiments are devised to build the desired material usually one stage at a time. Usually a series of experiments are planned to determine key synthesis parameters that effect the material.
Once a base material is completed, a series of experiments is devised and repeated to bring it to the next stage.
Characterization
The team deducts the actual chemical composition to determine any contamination, incorrect proportions, or wrong morphology.
To characterize the material, H2M uses a variety of equipment, including Tunneling Electron Microscopes and Scanning Electron Microscopes to determine structure, X-ray Photoelectron spectroscopy to determine composition, X-ray crystallography to determine layer spacing (if a layered material), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area analysis, and Raman spectroscopy to determine chemical analysis.
These techniques are used to guide the synthesis team to the correct process for synthesizing the theoretical material.
Hydrogen Measurement System
Test Hydrogen Absorption
The accurate measurement of the hydrogen storage properties (e.g., adsorption, desorption, rates) of materials is critical to the research and development activities of Hydrogen in Motion.
To ensure accurate measurements of a material’s hydrogen storage properties we have design, constructed, /and validated a volumetric Sieverts-like apparatus [1]. The custom-built hydrogen measurement system (H2MS) continuously monitors and manipulates the gas molar density (i.e. #molecules/volume) within chambers of known volumes to determine the hydrogen going in or out of the storage material. The system has been validated against known samples, include samples provided by DOE’s National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL) during a 11+ laboratory hydrogen adsorption measurement comparative study.
Test Hydrogen Desorption
During the desorption process, a mass spectrometer is used to determine what gases are being released by the material. All these measurements are then passed back to the theoretical team to validate their models, improve the model, and thus improve the hydrogen material itself.
Ultimately, the material’s performance is based on the results from the H2MS hydrogen measurement system. Once a material has been successfully synthesized and validated using the H2MS, multiple measurements are made at different temperatures for multiple cycles. This validates the robustness, operating range, and re-usability of the hydrogen storage material.
For our first material, a scale up plan is being developed. Moving from laboratory scale to manufacturing scale introduces several challenges in the synthesis of material. This includes equipment selection, fluid and thermal dynamic effects at a larger scale, reaction kinetics, chemical equilibrium and of course, cost.
H2M Hydrogen Storage Solutions
The most viable solution for commercialization of future clean energy. Interested in learning more?