ENHANCING HYDROGEN SPILLOVER AND STORAGE

• US 20110201492A1
• Filed: 04/20/2011
• Published: 08/18/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Anthony J. Lachawiec Jr, Ralph T. Yang, Yingwei Li
• Original Assignee: Anthony J. Lachawiec Jr, Ralph T. Yang, Yingwei Li
• Inventors: Li, Yingwei, Lachawiec, Anthony J. JR., Yang, Ralph T.
• Granted Patent: US 8,372,369 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 502/5
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 3/001 characterised by the uptaking medium; Treatment thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 3/0078 Composite solid storage mediums, i.e. coherent or loose mixtures of different solid constituents, chemically or structurally heterogeneous solid masses, coated solids or solids having a chemically modified surface region
• CPC Class Codes: Y02C 20/40 of CO2
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/32 Hydrogen storage

Abstract

Methods for enhancing hydrogen spillover and storage are disclosed. One embodiment of the method includes doping a hydrogen receptor with metal particles, and exposing the hydrogen receptor to ultrasonication as doping occurs. Another embodiment of the method includes doping a hydrogen receptor with metal particles, and exposing the doped hydrogen receptor to a plasma treatment.

Claims

1. A method for enhancing hydrogen storage, comprising:

doping a hydrogen receptor with metal particles, the hydrogen receptor being selected from carbon nanotubes, carbon nanofibers, molecular sieves, silica gel, zeolites, metal-organic framework materials, and combinations thereof and

exposing the hydrogen receptor to ultrasonication as doping occurs.

2. The method as defined in claim 1, further comprising drying the hydrogen receptor prior to doping.

3. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein doping is accomplished by:

forming a dispersion including the hydrogen receptor; and

adding a solution including a source of the metal particles to the dispersion including the hydrogen receptor, thereby forming a mixture.

4. The method as defined in claim 3, further comprising:

drying the mixture to form a composition;

subjecting the composition to a first gas flow at a first temperature;

subjecting the composition to a second gas flow at a second temperature, the second temperature being higher than the first temperature; and

cooling the composition.

5. The method as defined in claim 3 wherein the source of the metal particles is a salt of a transition metal.

6. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the metal particles are selected from platinum, palladium, ruthenium, rhodium, nickel, copper, iron, and combinations thereof.

7. The method as defined in claim 1, further comprising exposing the doped hydrogen receptor to a plasma treatment.

8. The method as defined in claim 7 wherein the plasma treatment is selected from glow discharge plasma, microwave plasma, plasma spraying, and combinations thereof.

9. The method as defined in claim 7, further comprising forming chemical bridges between respective metal particles and a surface of the hydrogen receptor.

10. The method as defined in claim 7 wherein the plasma treatment is accomplished for a predetermined time ranging from about 5 minutes to about 60 minutes at a predetermined temperature up to 1000°

C.

11. A method for enhancing hydrogen storage, comprising:

doping a hydrogen receptor with metal particles, the hydrogen receptor being selected from carbon nanotubes, carbon nanofibers, molecular sieves, silica gel, zeolites, metal-organic framework materials, and combinations thereof; and

exposing the doped hydrogen receptor to a plasma treatment.

12. The method as defined in claim 11 wherein the plasma treatment is selected from glow discharge plasma, microwave plasma, plasma spraying, radio frequency plasma, and combinations thereof.

13. The method as defined in claim 12 wherein a gas used in the glow discharge plasma is selected from inert gases, hydrogen gas, oxygen gas, carbon dioxide, and combinations thereof.

14. The method as defined in claim 11, further comprising forming chemical bridges between respective metal particles and a surface of the hydrogen receptor.

15. The method as defined in claim 11 wherein the plasma treatment is accomplished for a predetermined time ranging from about 5 minutes to about 60 minutes at a predetermined temperature up to 1000°

C.

16. A composition for hydrogen storage, comprising:

a hydrogen receptor selected from carbon nanotubes, carbon nanofibers, molecular sieves, silica gel, zeolites, metal-organic framework materials, and combinations thereof; and

metal particles doped on the hydrogen receptor such that the metal particles have a surface area sufficient to maximize contact between the zeolite and hydrogen molecules.

17. The composition as defined in claim 16 wherein the metal particles are exposed to ultrasonication as they are doped, whereby metal particle dispersion and hydrogen storage capacity of the hydrogen receptor are enhanced.

18. The composition as defined in claim 16, further comprising chemical bridges formed between the metal particles and a surface of the hydrogen receptor.

19. The composition as defined in claim 16 wherein a loading of the metal particles is equal to or less than 10 wt %.