HRL Laboratories, LLC is focusing on the following two objectives in support of the MHCoE:

• To develop and implement hydride destabilization strategies for thermodynamic control of hydrogen-exchange reactions in light metal hydrides with gravimetric and volumetric capacities meeting Department of Energy targets
• To identify, synthesize, and characterize nanoscale hydride materials and catalysts with the requisite dimensions and structural properties to promote hydrogen dissociation, diffusion, and exchange at rates that greatly exceed those in bulk materials

Specific "destabilized hydride" stems that are being explored include: MgH₂ + Si, LiBH₄ + Mg(X), and LiNH₂ or LiBH₄ + C (Si). In addition to conducting in-house work on hydride destabilization and nanoscale engineering, HRL is actively collaborating with other MHCoE partners, especially in areas of nanostructure synthesis and materials characterization and modeling.