Application of Nuclear Methods in Microstructural Characterisation and Performance Testing of Materials for Hydrogen Fuel Cell and Storage Technologies

A hydrogen-based source of energy can greatly contribute to a more sustainable less carbon-dependent global energy production. The major components in the expected Hydrogen Economy involve production, storage, transportation and conversion of hydrogen. All parts in this chain are facing considerable technological challenges, in particular related to used structural materials. The research efforts to solve these challenges will require new materials and solutions, and not simple, incremental improvements in current technologies in particular for production and storage. Nuclear methods will play an important role related to development of new/improved materials, but most importantly as a major tool to characterize the properties and performance of the materials. Typical example can be an optimisation of membrane properties of fuel cell or enhancement of hydrogen storage capacity of solid storage materials. In both cases the nuclear techniques are applied in very effective way due to the direct characterisation of the hydrogen interaction with structural materials used. The scope of the CRP is to enhance the abilities for testing of performance and microstructural characterisation of materials for fuel cells and hydrogen storage through the application of selected nuclear-probing techniques. The CRP outputs will provide significant added value and unique contribution to the R&D of new advanced solid state materials relevant to the hydrogen economy and towards selection of candidate materials as well as further qualification and quantification of the key parameters.