A team of scientists at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has made a significant breakthrough in understanding the atomic structure of a new hydrogen storage compound. The compound, a combination of lithium amide and lightweight metal hydrides, has the potential to store more than 10% of its weight in hydrogen, exceeding the U.S. Department of Energy’s 2010 goal for hydrogen storage materials.
The key to the compound’s effectiveness lies in its atomic structure, which consists of layers of calcium with lithium ions that move rapidly between them. This improved ion mobility allows for more efficient hydrogen transfer at lower temperatures than previously possible with lithium amide alone. The compound absorbs and releases hydrogen reversibly but requires high temperatures and produces toxic byproducts.
The findings, published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, could lead to the rational development of better materials for hydrogen storage, which is crucial for the widespread adoption of hydrogen fuel cells in automobiles and other applications.
Keywords: quantum sensing, metrology, quantum computing
