Boron Alloys for Hydrogen Storage Applications - Isis Project No 3400

New hydrogen storage materials offering high hydrogen density, low decomposition temperatures and increased cycles.

Marketing Opportunity

Masatami Takimoto, VP of Toyota stated “There exists the necessity for an epoch-making advance in new materials for hydrogen storage…. this is the hardest challenge”.  There is little doubt that hydrogen storage is a key enabling technology for the advancement of hydrogen and fuel cell power technologies in transportation, stationary, and portable applications.  Hydrogen gas is first generated from a primary energy source and is then stored.  The stored H2 is transported to a point-of-use, where energy is generated either by combustion or via an electrochemical fuel cell.

The Oxford Invention

The proposed hydrogen economy has great promise as a clean alternative to fossil fuels. The combination of a fuel cell and a hydrogen storage device provides an environmentally friendly power source capable of application in any situation where electricity is required.

There are still significant obstacles to the immediate, widespread use of hydrogen as an environmentally friendly energy source. Scientists working at Oxford and the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory have developed synthetic routes to novel mixed alkali metal borohydrides. The new materials have proved to be effective hydrogen stores. The figure shows the ongoing drive of the programme towards increased hydrogen density, reduced decomposition temperatures and increased cycles.

Patent Status

The invention is the subject of an International Patent Application. Isis are keen to talk to companies interested in developing the commercial opportunity. Please contact the Isis Project Manager.

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