Gas-on-solid adsorption is an inherently safe and potentially high energy density hydrogen-storage method that could be extremely energy efficient. Physical adsorption of H2 on the carbon surface is achieved at a low temperature or very high pressure, due to the fact that the binding energy (van der Waals force) is so weak. It has been proven that most of hydrogen molecules adsorbed in the micro-pores with the diameter less then 3 nm, due to the enhanced molecule-wall interactions. In addition the active sizes for the physical adsorption are the edge orientation of carbon.Under certain circumstance e.g. electrolysis of water, H atoms can be formed and subsequently intercalated into the carbon interlayers. Such H atoms can diffuse out to the carbon surface and either recombine with its neighbors into H2 or be electrochemical oxidized. The capacity of H intercalation into carbon interlayer can be significantly enhance by surface catalytic poison.

Hydrogen storage in carbon materials

240th National Meeting (2010)

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