Status and Progress of Nanomaterials Application in Hydrogen Storage

Hydrogen could be one of the long-term environmentally friendly solutions for a sustainable and clean energy future. The fundamental elements of a hydrogen economy are sustainable and clean hydrogen production, low-cost/high-capacity storage, wide distribution, and safe utilization. Each of these elements has its challenges and has been the subject of intense research for decades. The research on solid-state hydrogen storage has been significantly expanded to fulfil one of the most challenging parts: “Hydrogen Storage”. Nanomaterials are the most promising solid-state hydrogen storage materials. The enhanced hydrogen storage characteristics of the nanomaterials/nanoparticles are associated with their surface area, grain boundaries shorter diffusion distances, and closer contact between the reactants. This chapter presents a comprehensive understanding of different types of solid-state hydrogen storage nanomaterials (carbonaceous, metal and complex hydrides, metal-organic frameworks, and covalent organic frameworks). In addition to the hydrogen adsorption capacities, nanomaterial preparation methods, potential developments, and challenges in hydrogen storage of each material are discussed.