A hydrogen-based source of energy can greatly contribute to a more sustainable less carbon-dependent global energy production. The major components in the expected Hydrogen Economy involve production, storage, transportation and conversion of hydrogen. All parts in this chain are facing considerable technological challenges, in particular related to used structural materials. The research efforts to solve these challenges will require new materials and solutions, and not simple, incremental improvements in current technologies in particular for production and storage. Nuclear methods will play an important role related to development of new/improved materials, but most importantly as a major tool to characterize the properties and performance of the materials. Typical example can be an optimisation of membrane properties of fuel cell or enhancement of hydrogen storage capacity of solid storage materials. In both cases the nuclear techniques are applied in very effective way due to the direct characterisation of the hydrogen interaction with structural materials used. The scope of the CRP is to enhance the abilities for testing of performance and microstructural characterisation of materials for fuel cells and hydrogen storage through the application of selected nuclear-probing techniques. The CRP outputs will provide significant added value and unique contribution to the R&D of new advanced solid state materials relevant to the hydrogen economy and towards selection of candidate materials as well as further qualification and quantification of the key parameters.
Application and contribution of nuclear techniques to the performance testing of materials for Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Cycle Technologies, as well as build-up of expertise and transfer-of-knowledge. The objective of the project 1.4.3.2 under which the CRP is proposed, specifically increase the capacity of Member States to utilize frontline accelerator techniques.
Contribution to the performance testing of selected structural material for hydrogen storage and conversion systems by application of nuclear-probing methods (e.g. optimisation of new hydrogen fuel cell membranes and solid storage materials).
Enhancement of international collaboration and capacity building in the application of nuclear techniques for investigation and characterisation of materials and components relevant to hydrogen and fuel cell technologies.
Harmonisation of testing methodology for application of nuclear techniques in characterisation of materials for hydrogen conversion and storage.
The development of in-operando systems to study materials and systems for fuel cell and hydrogen cycle technologies is very valuable. Another great benefit of this CRP was that it combined several type of accelerator-based techniques: ion beam, synchrotron, neutron beam which provided a very comprehensive information on the same subject.
The CRP successfully contributed to the development and utilization of accelerator-based techniques in the field of materials science; improving hydrogen storage and conversion materials.