Study and development of innovative materials for hydrogen storage activity

The hydrogen storage activity at CNR-ITAE is actually focused on the different materials having a promising hydrogen sorption capability. Some of these have natural origin, other ones are designed and synthetized in laboratory. A study on carbonized banana peels was carried out focusing the attention on activation methods and porosity. Etna Lava powders, coming from two Etna eruptions (1880 and 2006), are studied and characterized. Their slight different composition is probably responsible of the different hydrogen sorption degree: after activation, powder of 2006 is more efficient than that of 1880. Hydrogen sorption properties of alanates are well known, but their high reactivity due to air exposition is a big limit: a method to cover the alanates of a particular polymeric capsule (Polysulphone, Polyetilene, etc.) with high selective hydrogen permeability is studied. At the end, since previous results demonstrated that Mn oxides are promising for H2 sorption systems, in order to improve their storage capabilities (3wt.% at 40bar/50 degrees C after 300 hrs.), a study on the different steps of synthesis is carried out.