Protons and the hydrogen economy

Abstract

As materials science is becoming components development and systems technology, hydrogen economy is approaching your porch. Welcome!Hydrogen mobility can now be purchased from the shelf. Fuel cell electric vehicles from various well-known car manufacturers are now available. The number of hydrogen filling stations in Europe is increasing at a rate that long-distance tours become less and less adventurous. The efforts of fuel cell researchers have paid off. Suppliers of components and systems for hydrogen infrastructure are anticipating business.Meanwhile, basic science in electrochemistry and materials research is continuing, with surprises such as the discovery of a proton polaron which are adding to the progress in fundamental understanding of energy materials in operation. Has the long awaited hydrogen economy finally arrived?Keywords: hydrogenation; energy storage; neutron scattering CommenTARy DISCUSSIon PoInT• Hydrogen economy is not impeded by scientific or technological shortcomings. The challenge is only one of political, social, and ultimately mental nature. Competition against traditional energy carriers is the challenge.

Dynamically disordered hydrogen bonds in the hureaulite-type phosphatic oxyhydroxide Mn5[(PO4)2(PO3(OH))2](HOH)4

“…Exploring efficient and sustainable compounds for energy storage and conversion in batteries and fuel cells, there is an ecologically-and economically-friendly approach to use the lightest element hydrogen as the mobile species in electrochemical systems. 1 Several proton conductors exhibiting high ionic conductivity under ambient conditions have been proposed in recent studies. 2,3 Particularly, solid acids have been considered as promising proton conductors [4][5][6][7] because they can enter a superprotonic state with an ionic conductivity value of 10 -2 S•cm −1 at room temperature.…”