About Hydrogen Storage Technology

Using special vacuum technology from rare-earth and transition metals can be melted alloys, which are able to absorb hydrogen from the gas phase. These alloys, at room temperature and under certain hydrogen pressure, are absorbing extremely large quantities of hydrogen by forming solid metal hydrides. The chemical reaction of hydride formation is accompanied with release of heat into environment. The hydrogen absorption process can be reversed if the hydrogen pressure is lowered below some certain value. In this case, desorption of hydrogen gas is accompanied with heat absorption from environment.

The hydrogen storage alloys, based on rare-earth metals, Ti, Zr, Fe, et. al, are extensively studied. However, only rare-earth based so called AB₅-type and transition metal based AB₂-type alloys has reached the stage of mass production and commercialization. At the same time, as a reversible gas storage material, only AB₅-type alloys can operate at moderate temperatures (from -20°C up to +60°C), while the AB₂-type ones require additional heating.