with the power of hydrogen

Weizmann Institute of Science scientists have developed a technology for the chemical storage of hydrogen that may make it possible to increase the use of hydrogen-based fuel

How do we get rid of human society's polluting addiction to oil, coal and gas? Hydrogen-based fuel is perhaps the most promising and greenest answer to this question, since the only byproduct of its combustion is water. However, one of the main obstacles to the transition to a "hydrogen-based society" is the difficulty in storing hydrogen - the most common and easiest element in our world. Although there are currently applications and technologies based on hydrogen as an energy source (for example an electric vehicle with fuel cell technology), these are still more expensive and less efficient options than carbon-based fuel ("fossil fuel"). Recently, scientists at the Weizmann Institute of Science have developed a technology for the chemical storage of hydrogen that may make it possible to increase the use of hydrogen-based fuel.

The use of hydrogen as a fuel is limited due to its low volumetric energy density in a gaseous or liquid state and the difficulty of storing it and releasing it efficiently on demand. For example, storing hydrogen in a gas accumulation state requires high-pressure tanks, while storing it as a liquid requires extremely low temperatures; Be that as it may, in both cases a large investment of energy is required, as well as providing an answer to safety problems. A promising alternative that is currently being studied is the chemical storage of hydrogen, that is, its storage using chemical carriers, such as hydrides and hydrocarbons. However, the chemical storage systems developed so far are still expensive and cumbersome compared to fossil fuel use.

Recently, a group of researchers at the Weizmann Institute of Science, led by Prof. David Milstein, from the Department of Organic Chemistry, developed a new system of liquid organic hydrogen carriers (LOHC) based on available and inexpensive compounds of the methyl-piperidine type. These compounds produce hydrogen gas when converted to methyl-pyridine type compounds, in the presence of a heterogeneous catalyst. Unlike other similar systems, the hydrogen attachment and release is done using only one catalyst and under much more favorable temperature and pressure conditions - with the possibility of repeating the chemical reaction with 100% utilization. In addition, this system can already contain hydrogen at a rate of up to 5.3% of its weight, and is expected to reach 6% in the future.

The "Yade" company, which promotes industrial applications based on the inventions of the institute's scientists, sees great commercial potential in this technology, and is currently promoting its commercialization.