THE HYDROGEN STORAGE MECHANISM AND APPLICATION OF ONE DIMENSIONAL CARBON NANOMATERIALS

One dimensional carbon nanomaterials become a candidate with many advantages for hydrogen storage because of their high surface area and other special properties. A brief review of carbon nanofibers for hydrogen storage is given indicating that hydrogen storage capacity in carbon nanofibers is higher than in existing materials. An explanation of the mechanism of adsorptive storage in carbon nanofibers is introduced, in which physical and chemical absorption on surfaces and nanopores of the nanofibers may occur. It is pointed out that carbon nanofibers are the most feasible candidate for hydrogen storage technologies, but some problems such as how to increase the volume capacity for hydrogen storage, absorption and desorption hydrogen velocity and to decrease the operation pressure must be solved.