VATIS UPDATE Article

Researchers from the US Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) have synthesized a powdery mixture of metal nanocrystals enveloped in single-layer carbon atom sheets. The mixture seems to be propitious for safe storage of hydrogen to be used in fuel cells of passenger vehicles and other applications. Moreover, at present, an innovative research offers in-depth knowledge related to atomic composition of the ultrathin coating of the crystals and the way they function as selective shielding at the same time also improving their performance in storing hydrogen.

The research involved a wide array of lab proficiency and potentials to develop and coat the magnesium crystals with a width of just 3-4 nm (where 1 nm is one-billionths of a meter), to analyze their nanoscale chemical composition by using X-rays, and to develop supportive theories and computer simulations to have a better knowledge of the way in which the crystals and their carbon coating act in congruence.

The discoveries made by the researchers can provide in-depth understanding of the way similar coatings can improve the stability and performance of other materials just known to be propitious for hydrogen storage applications. The study is one among various attempts made by a multi-lab R&D effort called as the Hydrogen Materials – Advanced Research Consortium (HyMARC).