Scientists with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) have designed a new composite material for hydrogen storage consisting of nanoparticles of magnesium metal sprinkled through a matrix of polymethyl methacrylate, a polymer related to Plexiglas.

Compared to gasoline, hydrogen is lightweight and can provide a higher energy density. To replace gasoline as a fuel, however, hydrogen must be safely and densely stored, yet easily accessed. This pliable new nanocomposite rapidly absorbs and releases hydrogen at modest temperatures without oxidizing the metal after cycling — a major breakthrough in materials design for hydrogen storage, batteries, and fuel cells.

Their work appears in the journal Nature Materials and online.

Adapted from materials provided by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory