Contributing to Hydrogen Energy Utilization Through Functional Materials and Process Development
Hydrogen can be produced from various primary energy sources, including renewable energy, and it can efficiently generate electricity and heat through fuel cells and other technologies. As a secondary energy carrier, hydrogen also offers advantages in large-scale transportation and long-term storage.
However, since hydrogen exists as a gas under ambient temperature and pressure, it requires a large volume for storage. To overcome this challenge, hydrogen can be compactly stored by converting it into liquid form via chemical transformation or by absorbing it as hydrogen atoms into solid materials.
In our laboratory, we develop such hydrogen storage materials by precisely controlling their structure at the nanoscale based on materials science principles. Because hydrogen energy systems involve a variety of production and utilization methods, the required functions and processes for storage differ depending on the application. We aim to propose energy-efficient hydrogen storage and supply processes tailored to each use case, and to develop the necessary storage materials and containers to realize them.