Light metal hydrides and complex hydrides for hydrogen storage

Abstract

The availability of feasible methods for hydrogen storage is one of the key—maybe the key—requirements for the large scale application of PEM fuel cells in cars. There are in principle four different approaches, i.e. cryostorage in liquid form, high pressure storage, storage in the form of a chemical compound which is converted to hydrogen by on-board reforming, or reversible chemical storage in different kinds of storage materials. New developments in the field of chemical storage make such systems attractive compared to the other options. This review will discuss the different possibilities for chemical storage of hydrogen and the focus on the presently most advanced system with respect to storage capacity and kinetics, i.e. catalyzed alanates, especially NaAlH₄.