Soild-state hydrogen storage systems

Abstract

Improved hydrogen storage materials are disclosed. A first material comprises a hydrogen storage nanomaterial that contains nanoparticles or nanoparticle clusters of a metal that is capable of combining with hydrogen to form a metal hydride. The nanomaterials may be formed using a thermal spray process. A second material comprises a micro-sized support that contains a hydrogen storage material deposited thereon. The hydrogen storage material may comprise a thermal spray deposit formed on a fly ash particle. A third material comprises a hydrogen permeable container having a hydrogen storage material therein. The container may comprise a microparticle having an internal void (e.g., a fly ash cenosphere or glass microsphere) containing a hydrogen storage material that has been permeated therein. Alternatively, the container may comprise an enclosing layer formed over a hydrogen storage material. The enclosing layer may be a deposited protective layer formed over a particle of a hydrogen storage material

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A composition comprising a hydrogen storage nanomaterial containing nanoparticles having an average size in the range of 1-100 nanometers.  
     
     
         2 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the nanoparticles comprise a metal that is capable of combining with hydrogen to form a metal hydride.  
     
     
         3 . The composition of  claim 2 , wherein the nanomaterial comprises cluster of nanoparticles condensed together from a plasma spray.  
     
     
         4 . The composition of  claim 3 , wherein the hydrogen storage material further comprises hydrogen.  
     
     
         5 . The composition of  claim 4 , wherein the composition is contained within a cassette.  
     
     
         6 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the composition is contained within a rail car.  
     
     
         7 . A method comprising forming a hydrogen storage nanomaterial by condensing an atomized hydrogen storage material.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein forming comprises condensing a thermal spray containing a molten metal that is capable of combining with hydrogen to form a metal hydride.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein forming comprises: (i) melting a metal that is capable of combining with hydrogen to form a metal hydride; (ii) spraying the melted metal; and (iii) condensing the sprayed metal to form a nanomaterial containing nanoparticles that have an average size that is in the range of 1-100 nanometers.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein forming comprises: (i) melting a metal that is capable of combining with hydrogen to form a metal hydride by heating the metal to a temperature not less than its melting point temperature in a plasma; (ii) atomizing and spraying the melted metal by contacting the melted metal with a flow of a compressed gas; and (iii) condensing the sprayed metal to form a nanomaterial containing nanoparticles that have an average size that is in the range of 1-100 nanometers by cooling the sprayed metal.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein forming further comprises forming a hydrogen storing nanomaterial by combining hydrogen with the hydrogen storage material during condensation.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein forming further comprises forming a hydrogen storing nanomaterial by combining hydrogen with a majority of the hydrogen storage material during condensation.  
     
     
         13 . A composition comprising a micro-sized support having a hydrogen storage material deposited thereon.  
     
     
         14 . The composition of  claim 13 , wherein the hydrogen storage material comprises a metal that is capable of combining with hydrogen to form a metal hydride.  
     
     
         15 . The composition of  claim 13 , wherein: (i) the hydrogen storage material deposited on the support comprises a thermal spray deposit; and (ii) the hydrogen storage material comprises a metal that is capable of combining with hydrogen to form a metal hydride.  
     
     
         16 . The composition of  claim 15 , wherein: (i) the thermal spray deposit comprises a plasma spray deposit; and (ii) the support comprises a particle selected from the group consisting of a glass particle, a ceramic particle, a zeolite particle, a mesoporous molecular sieve particle, a pozzolan particle, and an activated carbon particle.  
     
     
         17 . The composition of  claim 15 , wherein: (i) the thermal spray deposit comprises a plasma spray deposit; and (ii) the support comprises a fly ash particle having a substantial internal void.  
     
     
         18 . A method comprising: (i) melting a hydrogen storage material by heating the material to a temperature not less than its melting point temperature; (ii) atomizing and spraying the melted material by contacting the melted material with a flow of a gas; (iii) introducing a micro-sized support into the spray of the melted material; and (iv) depositing a portion of the spray on the support.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein introducing the support into the spray comprises adding a microparticle to a collision gas for the spray.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19:  (i) wherein the hydrogen storage material comprises a metal that is capable of combining with hydrogen to form a metal hydride; and (ii) further comprising combining a majority of the metal with hydrogen from the gas to form metal hydride.  
     
     
         21 . A composition comprising a micro-sized hydrogen permeable container having a hydrogen storage material contained therein.  
     
     
         22 . The composition of  claim 21 , wherein: (i) the container comprises a microparticle having a substantial internal void; and (ii) the hydrogen storage material comprises a metal that is capable of combining with hydrogen to form a metal hydride.  
     
     
         23 . The composition of  claim 22 , wherein the metal comprises a metal that is selected from the group consisting of lithium, beryllium, boron, sodium, magnesium, aluminum, or a combination thereof.  
     
     
         24 . The composition of  claim 23 , wherein the microparticle is sufficiently permeable to the metal to allow the metal to permeate into the void.  
     
     
         25 . The composition of  claim 21 , further comprising hydrogen combined with the metal.  
     
     
         26 . The composition of  claim 21 , wherein: (i) the container comprises a container selected from the group consisting of a glass microsphere and a fly ash particle having a substantial internal void; and (ii) the hydrogen storage material comprises a metal that is capable of combining with hydrogen to form a metal hydride.  
     
     
         27 . The composition of  claim 26 , wherein a majority of the hydrogen storage material comprises a metal that is selected from the group consisting of lithium, beryllium, boron, sodium, magnesium, aluminum, or a combination thereof! 
     
     
         28 . The composition of  claim 21 , wherein the container comprises an enclosing layer over a hydrogen storage material containing a metal that is capable of combining with hydrogen to form a metal hydride.  
     
     
         29 . The composition of  claim 28 , wherein the enclosing layer is permeable to hydrogen when heated.  
     
     
         30 . The composition of  claim 21 , wherein the container comprises an enclosing layer containing a protective material, selected from the group consisting of silica, alumina, boron nitride, or a combination thereof, formed over a particle containing a metal hydrogen storage material that is capable of combining with hydrogen to form a metal hydride, the protective material.  
     
     
         31 . A method comprising forming a hydrogen storage material within a micro-sized hydrogen permeable container by permeating the hydrogen storage material into the container.  
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein forming comprises permeating a metal selected from the group consisting of lithium, beryllium, boron, sodium, magnesium, aluminum, or a combination thereof, into a substantial internal void of a particle.  
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein forming comprises permeating lithium into a substantial internal void of a fly ash particle.  
     
     
         34 . A composition comprising a micro-sized hydrogen permeable container containing a hydrogen storage material formed therein by the method of  claim 31 .  
     
     
         35 . A method comprising forming a hydrogen storage material within a micro-sized hydrogen permeable container by enclosing a particle containing a hydrogen storage material with a layer that is permeable to hydrogen when heated.  
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein enclosing the particle comprises condensing a thermal spray containing the material over a surface of the particle.  
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36 , further comprising condensing the particle from the thermal spray before said enclosing.  
     
     
         38 . A composition comprising a micro-sized hydrogen permeable container containing a hydrogen storage material formed therein by the method of  claim 35.