Contact:
Ted Motyka
(803) 725-0772
Ragaiy Zidan
(803) 725-1726
Donald Anton,
(803) 819-8426

The Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) has over 50 years of experience in developing and applying hydrogen technology, both through its national defense activities as well as through recent activities with the Department of Energy Hydrogen Program. SRNL's hydrogen technical staff comprises more than 90 scientists, engineers, and technologists and is believed to be the largest such staff in the U.S.

SRNL has ongoing R&D initiatives in a variety of hydrogen storage areas, including metal hydrides, complex hydrides, chemical hydrides, and carbon nanotubes. SRNL has over 25 years of experience in metal hydrides and solid-state hydrogen storage research, development, and demonstration. As part of its defense mission at the Savannah River Site, SRNL developed, designed, demonstrated, and provides ongoing technical support for the largest hydrogen processing facility in the world based on the integrated use of metal hydrides for hydrogen storage, separation, and compression.

SRNL's work for the MHCoE focuses on the use of alane for hydrogen storage. SRNL will concentrate its efforts on looking at a new method for charging aluminum to aluminum hydride or alane, a method that is being patented. Alanes have a very high, 10 wt% hydrogen storage capacity. Recent results by other researchers indicate that alanes can be decomposed at reasonable conditions with the addition of the proper catalyst or dopant.

The biggest challenge will be in recharging the material. While SRNL will focus on developing novel methods to recharge alane, we will also be working in collaboration with Brookhaven National Laboratory, Sandia National Laboratories, and the University of Hawaii to identify structures and phases that are stable and more suitable for recharging.

SRNL also plans on working with Sandia and other Center partners to design and develop lightweight, high-capacity hydrogen storage systems for the MHCoE.