CX-100523 Categorical Exclusion Determination

Boron-based hydrogen storage: ternary borides and beyond
Award Number: DE-EE0006630
CX(s) Applied: A9, B 3.6
Fuel Cells Technology Office
Date: 07/30/2014
Location(s): CA
Office(s): Golden Field Office

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is proposing to provide federal funding to HRL Laboratories, LLC in order to develop boron-based reversible hydrogen storage materials with capacities of greater than 11 weight percent and with the thermodynamic and kinetic properties required for application in transport vehicles.

This project would be carried out through a combination of experimental and theoretical efforts organized into three major technical tasks. These tasks are identified as ternary borides, lithiated boranes, and computations and theory. The first task, ternary borides, would focus on the manufacture and classification of ternary borides and borohydrides, the fine-tuning of the composition of Magnesium-based ternary borides and borohydrides and the optimization of the performance of the borides and borohydrides through the use of added catalysts. The second task, lithiated boranes, would be focused on developing borane-based hydrogen storage materials that undergo necessary dehydrogenation/ rehydrogenation reactions when exposed to lithium hydride as well as optimization of hydrogen capacity and kinetics. The final task, computations and theory, would focus on calculations that would guide the choice of systems used for both the ternary borides and lithiated boranes. All of these tasks would be undertaken concurrently with the administrative task of managing and reporting.