Hydrogen storage is widely recognized as a critical enabling technology for the successful commercialization and market acceptance of hydrogen powered vehicles. Storing sufficient hydrogen on-board a wide range of vehicle platforms, while meeting all consumer requirements (driving range, cost, safety, performance, etc.), without compromising passenger or cargo space, is a tremendous technical challenge. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), in collaboration with automotive industry partners, established specific technical targets for on-board hydrogen storage systems to focus R&D and to stimulate research on hydrogen storage. In order to achieve these long-term targets, DOE launched a ''Grand Challenge'' to the scientific community in 2003. Based on a competitively selected portfolio, DOE established a ''National Hydrogen Storage Project'' in the U.S. for R&D in the areas of advanced metal hydrides, chemical hydrogen storage, carbon-based and high surface area sorbent materials, as well as new materials and concepts. The current status of vehicular hydrogen storage is reviewed and research associated with the National Hydrogen Storage Project is discussed. Future DOE plans through the International Partnership for the Hydrogen Economy (IPHE) are also presented.

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SynopsisOriented fibers drawn from aqueous gels of calf-thymus DNA were maintained at constant relative humidities of 75 and 92% to yield canonical A-DNA and B-DNA structures, respectively. Raman spectra of the two forms of DNA were recorded over the spectral range KKL4OOO cm-l. The authenticated DNA fibers were deuterated in hygrostatic cells containing DzO at appropriate relative humidities, and the corresponding spectra of deuterated DNAs were also obtained. The spectra reveal all of the Raman scattering frequencies and intensities characteristic of A-and B-DNA structures in both nondeuterated and deuterated forms, as well as the frequencies and intensities of adsorbed solvent molecules from which the hydration content of DNA fibers can be calculated. Numerous conformation-sensitive vibrational modes of DNA bases and phosphate groups have been identified throughout the 300-1700-~m-~ interval. Evidence has also been obtained for conformation sensitivity of deoxyribosyl CH stretching modes in the 2800-3000-~m-~ region. Raman lines of both the backbone and the bases are proposed as convenient indicators of A-and B-DNA structures. The results are extended to Z-DNA models investigated previously. Some implications of these findings for the determination of DNA or RNA structure from Raman spectra of nucleoproteins and viruses are considered.