Stable Metal Hydride Compositions

enables longer storage and release cycles

Stable Metal Hydride Compositions
This invention embeds metal hydrides in a stable silica network. When used for hydrogen storage, this composition enables longer absorption/desorption cycles and minimizes and contains the resulting “fines” to prevent clogging. When used to separate hydrogen from gaseous streams, the composition has the added benefit of absorbing hydrogen while filtering out other gases or impurities.

Market Assessment
The use of metal hydrides, or hydride formers, for hydrogen storage or for the recovery of hydrogen from gas mixtures has been limited by some of the characteristics of hydrides. As the hydrides repeatedly expand and contract during absorption/desorption cycles, they break into particles as small as fractions of a micron known as “fines.” These fines will
clog the filter in hydrogen separation devices or will block gas flow in hydrogen storage devices. Hydrides also are sensitive to poisons like carbon monoxide and sulfur compounds and to reactive gases like oxygen. Overcoming these limitations with this stable hydride composition should provide greater potential for the practical uses of metal hydrides.

Patent Status
U.S. Patent No. 5,958,098 has been issued on this invention.

Stage of Development
This method is fully developed. Additional research with a broad range of hydride formers may optimize performance.

Contact
Eric Frickey, Licensing Associate
(803) 725-0406
eric.frickey@srnl.doe.gov