Materials for storage and release of bulk quantities of hydrogen and methods of making and using same

Abstract

The invention relates to materials for storing and releasing bulk quantities of hydrogen and methods for preparing and using same. The materials exhibit fast release rates at low release temperatures are suitable as hydrogen sources for a variety of applications and devices.

1 . A composition, comprising:
 a high surface area porous support comprising a surface area of greater than or equal to 50 m 2 /g; and   at least one preselected hydrogen storage compound applied to said high surface area porous support, said at least one preselected compound applied to said high surface area porous support configured to alternatively store or release bulk quantities of hydrogen at a greater rate and a lower temperature than said at least one preselected compound when not applied to said support.   
     
     
         2 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one hydrogen storage compound comprises a member selected from the group consisting of Li, Be, B, C, N, O, F, Na, Mg, Al, Si, P, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The composition of  claim 2 , wherein said high surface area porous support comprises a material selected from the group consisting of interconnected porous materials, non-interconnected porous materials, channeled porous materials, porous silica, mesoporous silica, porous titanium dioxide, mesoporous titanium dioxide, porous carbon, mesoporous carbon, porous zeolites, porous aerogels, porous polymers, and combinations thereof 
     
     
         4 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one hydrogen storage compound is a member selected from the group consisting of hydrides, metal hydrides, conducting polymers, and nitrogen boron compounds. 
     
     
         5 . The composition of  claim 1 , further comprising a catalyst. 
     
     
         6 . The composition of  claim 5 , wherein said catalyst is a transition metal catalyst, and said porous support material is a porous carbon support that includes said transition metal catalyst. 
     
     
         7 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the hydrogen release rate from said at least one preselected compound applied to said high surface area porous support is at least 1 order of magnitude greater than said at least one preselected compound not applied to said support. 
     
     
         8 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said high surface area porous support includes said at least one preselected hydrogen storage compound. 
     
     
         9 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said lower temperature for hydrogen release is below about 85° C. 
     
     
         10 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein said high surface area porous support comprises at least 20% porosity by volume. 
     
     
         11 . A method for making a hydrogen storage composition, comprising the steps of:
 providing a high surface area porous support having a surface area of at least about 50 m 2 /g;   applying at least one preselected hydrogen storage compound to said high surface area porous support, said at least one preselected compound configured to alternatively store or release bulk quantities of hydrogen; and   drying said high surface area porous support;   whereby said at least one preselected compound coats said high surface area porous support.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the step of applying utilizes a method selected from the group consisting of: depositing, combining, coating, layering, physisorbing, chemisorbing, chemically binding, wetting, polymerizing, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         13 . A method for storing hydrogen, characterized by the step of:
 providing a composition comprising a high surface area porous support having a surface area of greater than or equal to 50 m 2 /g; and at least one preselected hydrogen storage compound applied to said high surface area porous support, said at least one preselected compound configured to alternatively store or release bulk quantities of hydrogen at a greater rate and a lower temperature than said at least one preselected compound not applied to said support.   
     
     
         14 . A device, comprising:
 a composition having a high surface area porous support having a surface area of greater than or equal to 50 m 2 /g; and at least one preselected hydrogen storage compound applied to said high surface area porous support, said at least one preselected compound configured to alternatively store or release bulk quantities of hydrogen at a greater rate and a lower temperature than said at least one preselected compound not applied to said support.