Objectives

BOR4STORE will develop novel cost-efficient boron hydride based hydrogen storage materials with capacities of more than 8 wt.% and 80 kg H₂/m³ for specific fuel cell applications, including:

(a) Synthesis and modification of boron hydrides, either single or as Reactive Hydride Composites and Eutectic Mixtures;

(b) Systematic investigation of special catalysts and additives, and;

(c) Adaptation of nanoporous scaffolding to optimise performance. Moreover, an integrated laboratory storage - SOFC prototype will be set up, representing e.g. stationary power supplies.

Impact

High capacity hydrogen storage at low pressure <10 MPa. High overall energy efficiency due to energetic integration with fuel cell and low hydrogen compression. Cost target 500 €/kg of stored hydrogen by use of cost effective raw materials and simple tank construction.

Overview

Only boron hydride based hydrogen storage materials exhibit the necessary high hydrogen storage capacities (more than 120 kg H₂/m³ and up to 18 wt %). It is highest among all known hydrogen storage materials suitable for gas phase loading and discharge inside the tank. To overcome their current deficits (loading and unloading times, cycling stability, cost), BOR4STORE will take the following steps:

• Synthesize novel boron hydride based materials (e. g. bi- and tri-metal boron hydrides, anion substituted materials) and composites (e.g. Eutectically Melting Composites (EMC)) with high hydrogen storage capacities >8 wt.% and >80 kg H₂/m³ and evaluate their suitability for practical application;
• Accelerate reaction kinetics and adjust reaction temperatures appropriately to supply a SOFC with sufficient hydrogen pressure and flow at acceptable rehydrogenation times of 1 hour or below;
• Enhance the cycling stability of the materials to several 1000 cycles by suitable additives as well as by scaffolding the storage material in pore size optimized nanoporous materials to tailor reaction pathways, prevent phase separation and retain a high storage density;
• Decrease material cost to reach the long term target of < 50 €/kg in large scale production, by (a) developing cost effective materials synthesis routes, and (b) systematically investigating the effects of impurities on storage properties to enable the use of more cost effective raw materials with less stringent requirements on purity, and;
• Demonstrate the suitability, high energy and cost efficiency of a boron hydride based laboratory prototype tank and supply a small SOFC as a model for a continuous power supply for specific applications like net independent telephone or weather stations, UPS systems for lighting and control, CHP, potentially also being a model for APU’s for trains or ships and other portable applications.