INSPIRATION
Although hydrogen is typically transported in liquid or gaseous form, the handling and operating constraints of pure hydrogen put a heavy strain on the storage containers.
Hydrogen carriers are hydrides or compounds of hydrogen,forming through the chemical reaction of a metal or a chemical with hydrogen. Typically, this is easy to transport over long distances. Storing these carriers is also convenient and, with additional research and development (R&D) into hydrogen
carriers, startups look to increase the purity and efficiency of the separation process to produce the hydrogen. Metal hydrides, like magnesium hydride, further possess the capacity to chemically store hydrogen in their metallic lattice. LOHC,chemical hydrides, and nanostructures are also under investigation and development for transporting hydrogen.
US-based nanotechnology startup Flux Technology develops MOF nanocomposites for hydrogen storage and transportation. MOFs usually consist of a regular array of positively charged metal ions surrounded by organic linker molecules.Adsorption of hydrogen on porous MOF nanocomposites increases the energy density of hydrogen fuel in storage tanks for mobile applications. This leads to a higher storage capacity at a lower weight constraint to the vehicle. The startup also produces Flux Modules, which are large-volume gas separation devices.
Canadian startup H2Heat provides metallic alloys for the storage of hydrogen. H2Heat’s novel hydrogen storage system stores hydrogen atoms in a solid-state nanocomposite based on complex metallic alloys using atomic bonds and a micro-heat transfer system. The H2 gas passes through a special plate to dissociate the hydrogen molecules to hydroxide atoms. The product stores hydrogen at a higher storage
density than compressed hydrogen, at high purity (99.99%).Because it operates at a lower pressure, the platform is also a safer alternative than traditional storage systems.