A hybrid method for hydrogen storage and generation from water

This communication describes a new hybrid method for storing hydrogen in solid inorganic hydride materials as well as producing it from water based on the reaction between LiOH/LiOH·H2O and LiH. As a hydrogen storage method, the release and uptake of hydrogen in this method are accomplished via a series of simple reactions with good kinetics within a practically reasonable temperature range. The reversible hydrogen storage capacity of the material system is 6–8.8 wt.% at <350 °C. This capacity is one of the highest among all other metal hydrides known to date in the same temperature range. As a hydrogen production method, 100% of hydrogen generated by this method comes from water by its reaction with alkali metal oxides. This method is also an environmentally friendly alternative to the current commercial processes for hydrogen production. The preliminary thermodynamic calculation on energy required for complete regeneration shows that the current system is energetically favorable.