(321o) Nanocomposite Materials for High Capacity Hydrogen Storage

This project is to develop novel nanocomposite materials for solid state hydrogen storage with the goal of developing a low-cost high-capacity hydrogen storage material that can be used in fuel cell vehicles. Carbons, especially nanocarbons are recommended by DOE as potential hydrogen storage media due to their light weight. However, by themselves, carbons do not have high enough sorptive capacity to meet the DOE target. This project consists of making nanocomposite hydrogen storage materials composed of nanocarbons and sorption enhancing metal and/or nonmetal nanoparticles. Results of depositing Pd nanoparticles on sonochemically treated carbon nanotubes (CNT) will be reported. The Pd/CNT composite materials demonstrate enhanced hydrogen sorptive capacity at ambient temperatures over the chemically treated CNT. A 4wt% of hydrogen uptake was observed. By manipulating the treatment conditions during the development of the nanoparticles, different sized Pd nanoparticles are formed. The Pd/CNT with the smaller Pd particle size demonstrates the greatest enhancement in the hydrogen uptake.