Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-m6dg7 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-14T10:58:39.915Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

HIGH-SURFACE-AREA BIOCARBONS FOR REVERSIBLE ON-BOARD STORAGE OF NATURAL GAS AND HYDROGEN

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 February 2011

Peter Pfeifer
Affiliation:
pfeiferp@missouri.edu, University of Missouri, Department of Physics, 223 Physics Building, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, 65211, United States
Jacob W. Burress
Affiliation:
JacobBurress@mizzou.edu, University of Missouri, Department of Physics, Columbia, MO, 65211, United States
Mikael B. Wood
Affiliation:
mbw3db@mizzou.edu, University of Missouri, Department of Physics, Columbia, MO, 65211, United States
Cintia M. Lapilli
Affiliation:
cmlapilli@hotmail.com, University of Missouri, Department of Physics, Columbia, MO, 65211, United States
Sarah A. Barker
Affiliation:
sab3h6@mizzou.edu, University of Missouri, Department of Physics, Columbia, MO, 65211, United States
Jeffrey S. Pobst
Affiliation:
jsp9k3@mizzou.edu, University of Missouri, Department of Physics, Columbia, MO, 65211, United States
Raina J. Cepel
Affiliation:
raina@mizzou.edu, University of Missouri, Department of Physics, Columbia, MO, 65211, United States
Carlos Wexler
Affiliation:
wexlerc@missouri.edu, University of Missouri, Department of Physics, Columbia, MO, 65211, United States
Parag S. Shah
Affiliation:
pss7rf@mizzou.edu, University of Missouri, Department of Chemical Engineering, Columbia, MO, 65211, United States
Michael J. Gordon
Affiliation:
mjggx6@mizzou.edu, University of Missouri, Department of Chemical Engineering, Columbia, MO, 65211, United States
Galen J. Suppes
Affiliation:
suppesg@missouri.edu, University of Missouri, Department of Chemical Engineering, Columbia, MO, 65211, United States
S. Philip Buckley
Affiliation:
pbuckley@mriresearch.org, Midwest Research Institute, 425 Volker Blvd., Kansas City, MO, 64110, United States
Darren J. Radke
Affiliation:
dradke@mriresearch.org, Midwest Research Institute, 425 Volker Blvd., Kansas City, MO, 64110, United States
Jan Ilavsky
Affiliation:
ilavsky@aps.anl.gov, Argonne National Laboratory, Advanced Photon Source, 9700 S. Cass Ave., Argonne, IL, 60439, United States
Anne C. Dillon
Affiliation:
anne_dillon@nrel.gov, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, 1617 Cole Blvd., Golden, CO, 80401, United States
Philip A. Parilla
Affiliation:
philip_parilla@nrel.gov, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, 1617 Cole Blvd., Golden, CO, 80401, United States
Michael Benham
Affiliation:
mbenham@HidenIsochema.com, Hiden Isochema Ltd., 231 Europa Blvd., Warrington, WA5 7TN, United Kingdom
Michael W. Roth
Affiliation:
Michael.Roth@uni.edu, University of Northern Iowa, Department of Physics, Cedar Falls, IA, 50614, United States
Get access

Abstract

An overview is given of the development of advanced nanoporous carbons as storage ma-terials for natural gas (methane) and molecular hydrogen in on-board fuel tanks for next-generation clean automobiles. The carbons are produced in a multi-step process from corncob, have surface areas of up to 3500 m2/g, porosities of up to 0.8, and reversibly store, by physisorp-tion, record amounts of methane and hydrogen. Current best gravimetric and volumetric storage capacities are: 250 g CH4/kg carbon and 130 g CH4/liter carbon (199 V/V) at 35 bar and 293 K; and 80 g H2/kg carbon and 47 g H2/liter carbon at 47 bar and 77 K. This is the first time the DOE methane storage target of 180 V/V at 35 bar and ambient temperature has been reached and exceeded. The hydrogen values compare favorably with the 2010 DOE gravimetric and volu-metric targets for hydrogen. A prototype adsorbed natural gas (ANG) tank, loaded with carbon monoliths produced accordingly and currently undergoing a road test in Kansas City, is de-scribed. A preliminary analysis of the surface and pore structure is given that may shed light on the mechanisms leading to the extraordinary storage capacities of these materials. The analysis includes pore-size distributions from nitrogen adsorption isotherms; spatial organization of pores across the entire solid from small-angle x-ray scattering (SAXS); pore entrances from scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM); H2 binding energies from temperature-programmed desorption (TPD); and analysis of surface defects from Raman spectra. For future materials, expected to have higher H2 binding energies via appropriate sur-face functionalization, preliminary projections of H2 storage capacities based on molecular dy-namics simulations of adsorption of H2 on graphite, are reported.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2008

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1.(a) Addy, M., Olson, T., and Schwyzer, D., “State Alternative Fuels Plan,” California Air Resources Board and California Energy Commission, Publication No. CEC-600-2007-011-CTF, October 2007 (Sacramento, CA). http://www.energy.ca.gov/2007publications/CEC-600-2007-011/CEC-600-2007-011-CTF.PDF (b) M. Addy, P. Ward, and J. Wiens, “AB 1007 State Alternative Fuels Plan: Natural Gas Scenario,” California Energy Commission and California Air Resources Board, May 31, 2007 (Sacramento, CA). http://www.energy.ca.gov/ab1007/documents/2007-05-31_joint_workshop/2007-05-31_NATURAL_GAS_SCENARIO.PDF (c) M. Addy, “Prospects, Challenges and Solutions for NGV's in a Low Carbon World,” NGVAmerica Conference, October 16, 2007 (Reno, NV). http://www.cleanvehicle.org/conference/2007/presentations/3-Addy%20CEC%20Alt%20Fuel%20Plan%20Findings.pdfGoogle Scholar
2.U.S. Department of Energy and U.S. Department of Transportation, “Hydrogen Posture Plan–An Integrated Research, Development and Demonstration Plan,” December 2006 (Washington, DC). http://www.hydrogen.energy.gov/pdfs/hydrogen_posture_plan_dec06.pdfGoogle Scholar
3.TIAX LLC, “Full Fuel Cycle Assessment: Well-to-Wheels Energy Inputs, Emissions, and Water Impacts–State Plan to Increase the Use of Non-Petroleum Transportation Fuels,” Report to the California Energy Commission, Publication No. CEC-600-2007-004-REV, August 1, 2007 (Sacramento, CA). http://www.energy.ca.gov/2007publications/CEC-600-2007-004/CEC-600-2007-004-REV.PDFGoogle Scholar
4.(a) Bhatia, S.K. and Myers, A.L., Langmuir 22, 1688 (2006). (b) A. Gigras, S.K. Bhatia, A.V.A. Kumar, and A.L. Myers, Carbon 45, 1043 (2007).Google Scholar
5.http://all-craft.missouri.eduGoogle Scholar
6. Pfeifer, P., Ehrburger-Dolle, F., Rieker, T.P., González, M.T., Hoffman, W.P., MolinaSabio, M., Rodríguez-Reinoso, F., Schmidt, P.W., and Voss, D.J., Phys. Rev. Lett. 88, 115502 (2002).Google Scholar
7. Burchell, T. and Rogers, M., SAE Tech. Pap. Ser., 2000-01-2205 (2000).Google Scholar
8. Pfeifer, P., Suppes, G.J., Shah, P.S., and Burress, J.W., U.S. Patent Application No. 11/937,150 (November 8, 2007).Google Scholar
9. Ginzburg, Y., “ANG Storage as a Technological Solution for the ‘Chicken-and-Egg’ Problem of NGV Refueling Infrastructure Development.” Proceedings of the 23rd World Gas Conference (International Gas Union, Amsterdam, 2006). http://www.igu.org/html/wgc2006/pdf/paper/add10822.pdfGoogle Scholar
10.(a) Eddaoudi, M., Kim, J.., Rosi, N., Vodak, D., Wachter, J., O'Keeffe, M., and Yaghi, O., Science 295, 469 (2002). (b) T. Düren, L. Sarkisov, O.M. Yaghi, and R.Q. Snurr, Langmuir 20, 2683 (2004).Google Scholar
11. Chamot, J.A., National Science Foundation, Press Release, February 16, 2007, http: //www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=108390&org=NSF&from=newsGoogle Scholar
12.(a) Liu, Y., Kabbour, H., and Brown, C.M., Abstract R2.3, 2007 MRS Fall Meeting, Boston. (b) Y. Liu, H. Kabbour, C.M. Brown, D.A. Neumann, and C.C. Ahn, Langmuir, in press (2008).Google Scholar
13. Poirier, E., Chahine, R., Bénard, P., Cossement, D., Lafi, L., Mélançon, E., Bose, T.K., and Désilets, S., Appl. Phys. A 78, 961 (2004).10.1007/s00339-003-2415-yGoogle Scholar
14. Furukawa, H., Miller, M.A., and Yaghi, O.M., J. Mater. Chem. 17, 3197 (2007).Google Scholar
15.(a) Pfeifer, P. and Liu, K.-Y., Stud. Surf. Sci. Catal. 104, 625 (1997). (b) K.A. Sosin and D.F. Quinn, J. Porous Mater. 1, 111 (1995).10.1016/S0167-2991(97)80075-4Google Scholar
16. Wood, M.B., Burress, J.B., Ilavsky, J., Lapilli, C.M., Wexler, C., and Pfeifer, P., to be published.Google Scholar
17.(a) Bale, H.D. and Schmidt, P.W., Phys. Rev. Lett. 53, 596 (1984). (b) P. Pfeifer and P.W. Schmidt, Phys. Rev. Lett. 60, 1345 (1988).Google Scholar
18. Dillon, A.C., Mahan, A.H., Parilla, P.A., Alleman, J.L., Heben, M.J., Jones, K.M., and Gilbert, K.E.H., NanoLetters 3, 1425 (2003).Google Scholar
19. Phillips, J.C., Braun, R., Wang, W., Gumbart, J., Tajkhorshid, E., Villa, E., Chipot, C., Skeel, R.D., Kale, L., and Schulten, K., J. Comp. Chem. 26, 1781 (2005). See also http://www.ks.uiuc.edu/Research/namd/Google Scholar
20. Mattera, L., Rosatelli, F., Salvo, C., Tommasini, F., Valbusa, U., and Vidali, G., Surf. Sci. 93, 515 (1980).10.1016/0039-6028(80)90279-4Google Scholar