GKSS Forschungszentrum, Saturday, 04-Sep-2010 15:54:56 CEST
http://www.gkss.de/public_relations/news/007552/index_0007552.html.en

2009-02-06 News

New EU project FLYHY: Fluorine set to optimise hydrogen storage

Fluorine not only strengthens teeth and bones but could also help to improve the storage of hydrogen in metal hydride tanks in the future. The EU-supported project, FLYHY (Fluorine Substituted High Capacity Hydrides for Hydrogen Storage at Low Working Temperatures), has been initiated to investigate the use of fluorine as a method of reducing the operating temperatures of hydrogen stores and to test if these can be adapted to meet industrial requirements. The project is being coordinated by Dr. Klaus Taube from the Institute of Materials Research.of the GKSS Research Centre The project ‘kick-off’ meeting took place on February 4 & 5 at the GKSS Research Centre in Geesthacht, Germany.

Metal hydride storage tank at the GKSS Research Centre Metal hydride storage tank at the GKSS Research Centre

Hydrogen is regarded as an energy-carrier of the future; however, many aspects of its storage still remain unclear. Storing hydrogen in metal hydrides is one option.

Scientists at the GKSS Research Centre in Geesthacht have developed different prototypes of metal hydride tanks, in which conventional room temperature hydrides as well as innovative light metal hydrides developed at GKSS are used as a means of storage.

Metal hydride based stores for hydrogen must comply with several requirements in order to be used in mobile applications: a continuously-high storage density; moderate operating temperatures; short hydrogen loading and unloading times; and low production costs. However, the storage materials currently available do not correspond to these requirements.

Fluorine reduces operating temperatures: a breakthrough?

The objective of the FLYHY research project is to develop innovative storage materials, which have high storage capacities and are simultaneously characterised by working temperatures that are compatible with polymer-based fuel cells.

The use of the halogen fluorine seems promising. The idea is to replace a small part of the stored hydrogen with fluorine. In doing so, the storage capacity of the tank will be reduced slightly but the operating temperature of the storage material will also be reduced.

First research works undertaken to develop fluorine modified storage materials have already given positive results, which are patent pending. However, comprehensive fundamental research is required and there is some way to go before series production can begin.

Scientists from the Institute of Materials Research at the GKSS Research Centre, the Institutt for Energiteknikk in Norway, as well as the Aarhus Universitet in Denmark were involved in the first investigations mentioned above.

Half a million euros for GKSS scientists

Participants of the project ‘kick-off’ meeting at the GKSS Research Centre Participants of the project ‘kick-off’ meeting at the GKSS Research Centre

This cooperation has now been extended within the framework of the EU project FLYHY.
Coordinated by the GKSS Research Centre, Geesthacht, further scientists from Italy and Argentina, as well as a medium-sized company from Greece, are participating in the project, along with the researchers from Denmark and Norway.

FLYHY commenced on January 1 2009 and will run until December 31 2011.

The overall budget of the GKSS Research Centre in this project, which is supported by the EU with € 2.1 million, adds up to more than half a million euros.

Further information:

For information on FLYHY:

www.flyhy.eu


For information on hydrogen technology at the GKSS Research Centre:

Multi-functional Materials for Hydrogen Technology


Contact

Dr. Klaus Taube

Institute of Materials Research

GKSS Research Centre Geesthacht

Phone: +49 (0)4152 87-2541

Fax: +49 (0)4152 87-2636

e-mail contact