New insights in hydrogenous materials for energy

Research Project, 2011 – 2016

Hydrogen atoms play a key role in many materials of high interest to science and society, examples are materials for energy-conversion technologies, such as proton-conducting electrolytes in hydrogen fuel cells and materials for hydrogen storage. To ensure worldwide mobility and a sustainable society, research and development of fuel cells and hydrogen storage is rapidly growing, but, despite intense efforts, there are still several challenges that have shown severe difficulties to surmount. For fuel cells, it has been difficult to develop an electrolyte with sufficiently high proton conductivity, while for hydrogen storage it has been difficult to develop materials with sufficiently high storage densities combined with favorable hydrogen sorption kinetics at practical conditions of pressure and temperature. I will address these bottlenecks through investigations of the structure-dynamics relationship, by using primarily neutron and synchrotron x-ray scattering combined with vibrational spectroscopy. The goal is to develop a mechanistic understanding of the proton (hydrogen) diffusion mechanism and apply this to the optimization and rational design of new materials with higher proton conductivities or more favorable hydrogen sorption properties. The investigations will focus on proton-conducting ceramics, targeted as electrolytes for intermediate-temperature fuel cells, and on metal hydrides, targeted as media for on-board hydrogen storage.