Hydrogen storage breakthrough?
Researchers have published their discovery of a new class of aluminum-hydrogen complexes in the journal Science and are excited by the unique chemistry the molecules exhibit. Amongst the most important aspects of the discovery are that the new class of aluminum and hydrogen molecules (Al-H) are very stable and can potentially be created in bulk quantities. One species, Al4H6, may have applications in hydrogen storage and high energetic materials with the potential to open up a new branch of materials science.
Physorg.com reported one of the project leads, Puru Jena, Ph.D., as saying, "Developing new materials and compounds that meet some of the current technological problems in energy-related fields is always a challenge. Our collaborative work has demonstrated that a synergy between experiment and theory can go a long way in meeting these challenges, particularly in developing novel nano-materials for storing and releasing hydrogen as well as for high-energetic materials applications."
Analysis: With so much interesting and fundamental research being undertaken, the pace of change in the automotive industry is not likely to slow down any time soon. Everyone agrees that hydrogen is the best bet for a future fuel source, but in exactly what form is still difficult to say - in fact the possibility exists that producing hydrogen on the fly may dismiss the need to storage hydrogen at all.
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[Source: Physorg.com]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Howard Lee Harkness 8:58PM (1/21/2007)
"Everyone agrees that hydrogen is the best bet for a future fuel source"
Wrong.
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Tony Belding 11:25PM (1/21/2007)
"Everyone agrees that hydrogen is the best bet for a future fuel source. . ."
Whaah? Where did this comment come from? As far as I can see, almost nobody outside of the large auto makers thinks the "hydrogen economy" makes any sense -- and even their sincerity and their commitment to it can be questioned. From where I sit, hydrogen has been attacked from all sides and largely debunked.
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Ed 8:16AM (1/22/2007)
Finally Autobloggreen says what it believes in. It decides to go with Fuelcell over Battery powered cars. Even after hydrogen storage is prohibited in Japan due to hydrogen tanks requirement to leak hydrogen gas thereby contributing to the depletion of the ozone layer. Even after they have made phoenix motorcars pickup with 250 mile range, 10 minute recharge and 45000$ price tag. Thank you AutoblogGreen for letting us know where you stand.
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jiltedcitizen 9:01AM (1/22/2007)
Hydrogen contributes to ozone depletion? Since when? I think hydrogen makes sense in certain applications, Buses perhaps.
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Ed 9:40AM (1/22/2007)
http://china.org.cn/english/environment/67196.htm
http://www.wired.com/news/autotech/0,2554,59220,00.html
Too much money is on Hydrogen for us to care about its consequences.
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Tim 11:16AM (1/22/2007)
Who cares about storage? Hydrogen is idiotic on so many levels. One is the fact that Battery Electric Vehicles (BEV) are FOUR TIMES more efficient than fuel cell vehicles. http://www.physorg.com/news85074285.html
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