Enhancing hydrogen spillover and storage

• US 8,372,369 B2
• Filed: 04/20/2011
• Issued: 02/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Board of Regents of the University of Michigan (University of Michigan)
• Original Assignee: Board of Regents of the University of Michigan (University of Michigan)
• Inventors: Yang, Ralph T., Li, Yingwei, Lachawiec, Anthony J. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): HENDRICKSON, STUART L
• Application Number:
  US13/090,618
• Publication Number:
  US 20110201492A1
• Time in Patent Office: 664 Days
• Field of Search: 568/5, 427/217, 502/64, 423/335, 423/447.8, 423/460
• US Class Current: 423/335
• 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, 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;

exposing the hydrogen receptor to ultrasonication as doping occurs;

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.

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 subsequent to doping and ultrasonication and prior to drying, the method further comprises magnetically agitating the mixture.

4. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the first gas flow is a helium gas flow, and the second gas flow is a hydrogen gas flow.

5. The method as defined in claim 1 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. A method for enhancing hydrogen storage, comprising:

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

exposing the hydrogen receptor to ultrasonication as doping occurs; and

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 8 wherein a gas used in the glow discharge plasma is selected from inert gases, hydrogen gas, oxygen gas, carbon dioxide, and combinations thereof.

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

11. 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.

12. The method as defined in claim 7 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.

13. The method as defined in claim 12 wherein the source of the metal particles is a salt of a transition metal.

14. The method as defined in claim 7 wherein the metal particles are selected from platinum, palladium, ruthenium, rhodium, nickel, copper, iron, and combinations thereof.