PLCC2 LLC SBIR Phase I Award, July 2023

Statement of the problem or situation that is being addressed in your application. The hydrogen economy is rapidly approaching. Hydrogen fuel is very attractive because it can be easily generated from renewable sources, it has high energy density, and hydrogen combustion does not produce harmful emissions or greenhouse gasses. Hydrogen storage and transportation are the key challenges to widespread adoption. Hydrogen is conventionally stored as a compressed gas or in a cryogenic liquid state, which involves very high pressures and/or low temperature to store sufficient quantities. Storing hydrogen in this manner is expensive, inefficient, and unsafe for mobile applications. A new class of inexpensive state of the art hydrogen storage materials are required to improve the amount of hydrogen that can be stored in a safe and reliable manner. General statement of how this problem is being addressed. An inexpensive material with high affinity for hydrogen will be developed to achieve safe and low-cost hydrogen storage with high capacity. This novel material is a structured and functionalized carbon-based foam. Inexpensive transition metal particles are incorporated in the foam to promote hydrogen capture and storage. The material will act as a sponge for hydrogen – adsorbing and storing large amounts of gaseous hydrogen at moderate pressure and ambient temperature. A low-cost and scalable production process will be developed that provides the ability to tailor micro- and macro- porosity and customize the form factor for most applications of hydrogen storage. The carbon foam structure provides for low pressure drop and high surface area, which will increase the speed of hydrogen fueling and discharge. What is to be done in Phase I? The goal of the Phase I program is to develop and demonstrate a new type of hydrogen storage medium. The team will develop each stage of the production process to create the next generation of hydrogen storage materials. The synthesized material will be tested for hydrogen uptake capacity and other related properties such as surface area, morphology, chemical structure and mechanical stability. The results of laboratory testing will inform a cost analysis to determine the hydrogen storage medium production price, as well as outline the technology maturation pathway in Phase II and beyond. Commercial Applications and Other Benefits. Successful completion of this SBIR program will result in a new class of hydrogen storage media that is safe, effective, and affordable. The novel hydrogen storage media is intended to be used for both stationary and transportation applications. The development of safe and inexpensive methods to store hydrogen would open up a vast market for hydrogen as a replacement for fossil fuels in transportation, dramatically reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving the efficiency of our energy infrastructure.