Sustainable Additives for the Production of Hydrogen via Sodium Borohydride Hydrolysis

Abstract

Finding stable solutions for hydrogen storage is one of the main challenges to boosting its deployment as an energy vector and contributing to the decarbonization of the energy sector. In this context, sodium borohydride (NaBH4) has been largely studied as a hydrogen storage material due to its significant advantages, such as low pressure, stability, and high hydrogen storage density. The development of catalysts and additive materials for the on-demand hydrolysis of NaBH4 for hydrogen release is a key research area. This work studies the effects of non-toxic and environmentally friendly additives for the hydrolysis process in terms of yield, lag time, hydrogen generation rate, and gravimetric density. Specifically, four additives, including sodium carboxymethylcellulose (CMC), polyacrylamide (PAM), sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), and β-cyclodextrin (BCD), were studied for their application in the storage and release of hydrogen. The best results were provided by the use of sodium carboxymethyl cellulose and polyacrylamide. In the first case, a hydrolysis yield of 85%, a lag time of 70 s, a hydrogen production rate of 1374 mL·min−1·gcat−1, and a storage capacity of 1.8 wt% were obtained. Using polyacrylamide as additive, a hydrolysis yield of almost 100% was achieved, although it required a significantly higher time period for complete conversion.

Control Strategies for Piston Trajectory in Ionic Compressors for Hydrogen Storage

“…Fossil fuels are well known as the source of main energy for countries around the world, providing important support for economic, scientific, technological, and cultural development and progress [1]. The combustion of fossil fuels produces greenhouse gases [2], such as carbon dioxide, which contribute to the increase in global temperatures and increase the number of extreme climate events [3]. To solve environmental problems and achieve sustainable and renewable energy development, the transformation of traditional energy systems is essential [4].…”