Laboratory for New Energy Technologies and Energy Carriers

• We have researched properties of fuel cells and build a battery from compact aluminum-based cells. Our work shows possibility of dissolution of hydrogen in one of the five crystalline structures of ice to produce hydrogen gas hydrates.
• We have presented computations of excess pressure that occurs due to difference between thermal expansion rates of ice and hydrate. Our researchers have demonstrated existence of the self-preservation effect for gas hydrates of hydrogen. We have clarified the data on mixed H2 + X hydrates.
• We have research the capability of metal organic coordination polymers (MOCP) to adsorb and desorb gases using Monte-Carlo methods. It has been demonstrated that doubled MOCP framework can significantly increase the amount of gas adsorbed by the system. The doubling allows to increase correlation between the amount of gas and pressure which allows to apply the method in real hydrogen storage systems.
• Our researchers have investigated impact of hydrogen molecules on MOCP frameworks (deformation of cavities and the framework) during adsorption and desorption. It has been found that due to its size and weak interaction with the framework, hydrogen molecules very weakly influence the framework as opposed to more major gases.
• We have presented results of test of a prototype of a battery consisting of air-aluminum cells with the power of 20 W. It has been demonstrated that at high discharge durations the created sample can have high specific energy capacity that surpass indicators of the majority of currently used systems of chemical sources of current.

Implemented results of research: The developed method of transportation of gas using gas hydrates (up to 1500 km) can be used to supply gas to remote regions of Russia. The method of hydrogen storage as gas hydrates and its usage as fuel will eventually improve the ecological situation in cities.

Education and career development:

• One doctoral dissertation and 6 candidate dissertations have been defended

Collaborations: Air Products (USA), University of Arizona (USA), Royal College (United Kingdom): joint publications