Hydrogen storage in nanostructures with physisorption

Abstract

A hydrogen containing nanostructure is provided, where the hydrogen is adsorbed to the nanostructure by physisorption. The nanostructure includes light elements, selected from the second and third rows of the periodic table. The nanostructure is formed as a layered network of light elements coupled with covalent sp 2 bonds. The chemical composition of the nanostructure can be such that the desorption temperature of hydrogen is greater than the liquefaction temperature of nitrogen, 77 K. Further, a hydrogen storage system is provided, including a container and a nanostructured storage material within the container, wherein the nanostructured storage material includes light elements, and the nanostructured storage material is capable of adsorbing hydrogen by physisorption. The hydrogen storage system can include a liquid nitrogen based cooling system, capable of cooling the nanostructured storage material below the desorption temperature of hydrogen. Some embodiments contain a heater to control the temperature of the nanostructured storage material.

We claim:  
     
         1 . A hydrogen storage nanostructure, comprising: 
 a nanostructured storage material, comprising 
 a plurality of light elements, wherein the light elements are selected from the group consisting of Be, B, C, N, O, F, Mg, P, S, and Cl, wherein  
 the nanostructured storage material is adapted to adsorb hydrogen by physisorption.  
   
     
     
         2 . The hydrogen storage nanostructure of  claim 1 , wherein 
 the nanostructured storage material is adapted to adsorb hydrogen without the formation of a chemical bond.    
     
     
         3 . The hydrogen storage nanostructure of  claim 1 , wherein 
 the nanostructured storage material is adapted to adsorb hydrogen with van der Waals interactions.    
     
     
         4 . The hydrogen storage nanostructure of  claim 1 , wherein 
 the chemical composition of the nanostructured storage material is selected from the group consisting of B x C y N z , BN, BC 2 N, MgB 2 , Be 3 N 2 , BeB 2 , B 2 O, B, BeO, AlCl 3 , Al 4 C 3 , AlF 3 , Al 2 O 3 , Al 2 S 3 , Mg 2 Si, Mg 3 N 2 , Li 3 N, Li 2 S, Na 2 S, and Na 2 S 4 , wherein 
 the nanostructured storage material has a chemical composition; and  
 x, y, and z are integers.  
   
     
     
         5 . The hydrogen storage nanostructure of  claim 4 , wherein 
 the chemical composition of the nanostructured storage material is such that the desorption temperature of hydrogen in relation to the nanostructured storage material is greater than the liquefaction temperature of nitrogen, wherein the hydrogen has a desorption temperature in relation to the nanostructured storage material.    
     
     
         6 . The hydrogen storage nanostructure of  claim 1 , wherein the nanostructured storage material comprises: 
 a network of the plurality of light elements coupled with covalent bonds.    
     
     
         7 . The hydrogen storage nanostructure of  claim 6 , wherein the covalent bonds comprise: 
 substantially sp 2  bonds.    
     
     
         8 . The hydrogen storage nanostructure of  claim 1 , wherein the nanostructured storage material comprises: 
 a layered network of the plurality of light elements.    
     
     
         9 . The hydrogen storage nanostructure of  claim 1 , wherein the nanostructured storage material comprises: 
 at least one of a triangular lattice, a nanofiber, a nanoplatelet, a single walled nanotube, a multi walled nanotube, a nanorod, a nanowire, and a fullerene.    
     
     
         10 . The hydrogen storage nanostructure of  claim 9 , wherein 
 the at least one of a triangular lattice, a nanofiber, a nanoplatelet, a single walled nanotube, a multi walled nanotube, a nanocage, a nanococoon, a nanohorn, a nanorope, a nanotorus, a nanocoil, a nanorod, a nanowire, and a fullerene-like molecule is in a heterogeneous form.    
     
     
         11 . A hydrogen storage nanostructure, comprising: 
 a nanostructured storage material, comprising 
 at least one light element, wherein the at least one light element is selected from the group consisting of Be, B, N, P, and S, wherein  
 the nanostructured storage material is adapted to adsorb hydrogen by physisorption.  
   
     
     
         12 . A hydrogen storage system, comprising: 
 a container; and    a nanostructured storage material, disposed within the container, wherein 
 the nanostructured storage material comprises a plurality of light elements, wherein the light elements are selected from the group consisting of Be, B, C, N, O, F, Mg, P, S, and Cl; and  
 the nanostructured storage material is adapted to adsorb hydrogen by physisorption.  
   
     
     
         13 . The hydrogen storage system of  claim 12 , wherein 
 the nanostructured storage material is adapted to adsorb hydrogen without the formation of a chemical bond.    
     
     
         14 . The hydrogen storage system of  claim 12 , wherein 
 nanostructured storage material is adapted to adsorb hydrogen by van der Waals interactions.    
     
     
         15 . The hydrogen storage system of  claim 12 , wherein 
 the chemical composition of the nanostructured storage material is selected from the group consisting of B x C y N z , BN, BC 2 N, MgB 2 , Be 3 N 2 , BeB 2 , B 2 O, B, BeO, AlCl 3 , Al 4 C 3 , Alf 3 , Al 2 O 3 , Al 2 S 3 , Mg 2 Si, Mg 3 N 2 , Li 3 N, Li 2 S, Na 2 S, and Na 2 S 4 , wherein 
 the nanostructured storage material has a chemical composition; and  
 x, y, and z are integers.  
   
     
     
         16 . The hydrogen storage system of  claim 15 , wherein 
 the chemical composition of the nanostructured storage material is such that the desorption temperature of hydrogen in relation to the nanostructured storage material is greater than the liquefaction temperature of nitrogen, wherein hydrogen has a desorption temperature in relation to the nanostructured storage material.    
     
     
         17 . The hydrogen storage system of  claim 12 , wherein the nanostructured storage material comprises: 
 a network of the plurality of light elements coupled with covalent bonds.    
     
     
         18 . The hydrogen storage system of  claim 17 , wherein the covalent bonds comprise: 
 substantially sp 2  bonds.    
     
     
         19 . The hydrogen storage system of  claim 12 , wherein the nanostructured storage material comprises: 
 a layered network of the plurality of light elements.    
     
     
         20 . The hydrogen storage system of  claim 19 , wherein the layered network comprises: 
 at least one of a triangular lattice, a nanofiber, a nanoplatelet, a single walled nanotube, a multi walled nanotube, a nanocage, a nanococoon, a nanohorn, a nanorope, a nanotorus, a nanocoil, nanorod, a nanowire, and a fullerene.    
     
     
         21 . The hydrogen storage system of  claim 20 , wherein 
 the at least one of a triangular lattice, a nanofiber, a nanoplatelet, a single walled nanotube, a multi walled nanotube, a nanocage, a nanococoon, a nanohorn, a nanorope, a nanotorus, a nanocoil, a nanorod, a nanowire, and a fullerene-like molecule is in heterogeneous form.    
     
     
         22 . The hydrogen storage system of  claim 12 , wherein the nanostructured storage material is combined with a hydrogen distribution system within the container.  
     
     
         23 . The hydrogen storage system of  claim 12 , further comprising: 
 a cooling system, capable of cooling the nanostructured storage material below the desorption temperature of hydrogen in relation to the nanostructured storage material.    
     
     
         24 . The hydrogen storage system of  claim 23 , wherein the cooling system comprises: 
 a middle container, disposed within the container;    a heat insulator, disposed between the container and the middle container, capable of reducing the exchange of heat between the container and the middle container;    an inner container, disposed within the middle container; and    a cooling substance, disposed between the middle container and the inner container, capable of reducing the temperature of the inner container.    
     
     
         25 . The hydrogen storage system of  claim 24 , wherein 
 the heat insulator is a gaseous substance, having a pressure less than 10 −1  atm.    
     
     
         26 . The hydrogen storage system of  claim 24 , wherein 
 the cooling substance is liquid nitrogen.    
     
     
         27 . The hydrogen storage system of  claim 24 , further comprising: 
 a heat insulating valve, coupled to the container, capable of controlling the heat insulator;    a cooling valve, coupled to the middle container, capable of controlling the cooling substance; and    a hydrogen valve, coupled to the inner container, capable of controlling the hydrogen.    
     
     
         28 . The hydrogen storage system of  24 , further comprising: 
 a heater, disposed within the inner container, capable of controlling the temperature of the nanostructured storage material.    
     
     
         29 . The hydrogen storage system of  claim 24 , further comprising: 
 a fuel cell, wherein the hydrogen recovered from the hydrogen storage system is used in the fuel cell to generate energy.    
     
     
         30 . A hydrogen storage system, comprising: 
 container means; and    nanostructured storage means, disposed within the container means, wherein 
 the nanostructured storage means comprises a plurality of light elements, wherein the light elements are selected from the group consisting of Be, B, C, N, O, F, Mg, P, S, and Cl; and  
 the nanostructured storage means is adapted to adsorb hydrogen by physisorption.  
   
     
     
         31 . A hydrogen storage system, comprising: 
 a container; and    a nanostructured storage material, disposed in the container, wherein 
 the nanostructured storage material comprises at least one light element, wherein 
 the at least one light element is selected from the group consisting of Be, B, N, P, and S; and  
 the nanostructured storage material is adapted to adsorb hydrogen by physisorption.  
 
   
     
     
         32 . A hydrogen storage nanostructure, comprising: 
 a nanostructured storage material, comprising a plurality of light elements, wherein the light elements are selected from the group consisting of Be, B, C, N, O, F, Mg, Al, Si, P, S, and Cl, wherein 
 the nanostructured storage material is not a microporous material or zeolite, wherein  
 the nanostructured storage material is adapted to adsorb hydrogen by physisorption.  
   
     
     
         33 . A method of storing hydrogen, the method comprising: 
 providing a nanostructured storage material in a container, the nanostructured storage material comprising: 
 a plurality of light elements, wherein the light elements are selected from the group consisting of Be, B, C, N, O, F, Mg, P, S, and Cl; and  
 introducing hydrogen into the nanostructured storage material,  
   wherein the hydrogen adsorbs to the nanostructured storage material by physisorption.    
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein providing the nanostructured storage material comprises: 
 selecting the chemical composition of the nanostructured storage material so that the desorption temperature of hydrogen in relation to the nanostructured storage material is greater than the liquefaction temperature of nitrogen, wherein hydrogen has a desorption temperature in relation to the nanostructured storage material, and wherein the nanostructured storage material has a chemical composition.    
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein providing the nanostructured storage material comprises: 
 providing the nanostructured storage material in combination with a hydrogen distribution system within an inner container.    
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 33 , further comprising: 
 cooling the nanostructured storage material below the desorption temperature of the hydrogen in relation to the nanostructured storage material.    
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein cooling the nanostructured storage material comprises: 
 providing a middle container, disposed within the container;    providing a heat insulator, disposed between the container and the middle container, capable of reducing the exchange of heat between the container and the middle container;    providing an inner container, disposed within the middle container; and    providing a cooling substance, disposed between the middle container and the inner container, capable of reducing the temperature of the inner container.    
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein providing the cooling substance comprises: 
 providing liquid nitrogen, as a cooling substance.    
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 37 , further comprising: 
 controlling the heat insulator with a heat insulating valve, coupled to the container;    controlling the cooling substance with a cooling valve, coupled to the middle container; and    controlling the hydrogen with a hydrogen valve, coupled to the inner container.    
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 37 , further comprising: 
 controlling the temperature of the nanostructured material with a heater, disposed within the inner container.