IV.A.4c Lightweight Intermetallics for Hydrogen Storage

As a partner for the DOE Metal Hydride Center of Excellence (MHCoE), GE Global Research in Niskayuna, NY developed a robust approach for metal hydride discovery as schematically shown in Figure 1. The approach is used on a daily basis at GE and it has streamlined the metal hydride discovery process. Our research allows us to investigate large numbers of compositions simultaneously, quickly screen their hydrogen storage properties, and gain a detailed understanding of the critical hydrogen storage performance characteristics. The key features of our approach is a robust combinatorial/high-throughput screening (HTS) methodology and a unique apparatus for in situ x-ray diffraction (XRD) to “watch” the hydrogen absorption and desorption process in real time with varying temperature and/or hydrogen pressure. The integrated approach with up-front theoretical analysis, HTS methodology, and mechanistic understanding will allow us to effectively discover new hydrides to meet the DOE 2010 targets.