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Description
Hydrogen storage has become a dominant issue in the emerging green economy, with the promise of a long-term hydrogen-powered economy based upon cheap and efficient hydrogen production driven by renewable energy sources. However, hydrogen technology faces several technical limitations before it becomes a primary fuel option in such areas as hydrogen-powered emission-free vehicles. One of the major technical hurdles is that of hydrogen permeation of storage vessel walls, due to its low molecular weight and chemical properties.
Silica Oxide technology is rapidly becoming a promising technology with respect to storage vessel coatings that can reduce permeation losses, as well as an efficient fuel-loading matrix in its own right. The current proposal focuses on development of hydrogen permeation limitation through polymers wall based on an application of oxide sol-gel coatings on HDPE polymer as commonly used for gas storage system. Moreover, the system for application, stabilization and defects detection in new-obtained coatings will be established to make proposed solution the most comprehensive and reliable.
Progress in this field will accelerate the successful uptake of hydrogen fuel as a cheap, safe, and efficient energy source for autonomous emission-free transport. This is an essential if the objectives of the Kyoto Protocol on the reduction of greenhouse emissions are to be met by 2030. Moreover, the Project deliverables are in line with European Green Deal strategy, A hydrogen strategy for a climate-neutral Europe published on July 8 this year, and with Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy (Brussels, 9.12.2020, COM(2020) 789 final), which defines the main objectives of Hydrogen strategy until 2050.
Summary of project results
HyStor Project focused on developing solutions that limit hydrogen permeation through polymer walls based on applying oxide sol-gel coatings to HDPE polymer, commonly used in gas storage systems.
A system for the application, stabilization, and defect detection of newly obtained coatings was created. The proposed solution is compact and fully comprehensive. Moreover, under the HyStor project, a new tool, based on optical measurements, was developed to detect the impact of hydrogen on surface layers.
The HyStor project investigated sol-gel techniques for the creation of coatings that limit hydrogen permeation which were also coupled with an in-house developed system for applying this type of coatings to curved surfaces. The obtained results, indicate a valuable potential for developing solutions for sealing high-pressure hydrogen tanks , which in turn can be applied in the transportation sector (automotive industry, aviation industry) and storage applications.