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Synthesis and Thermodynamic Studies of Physisorptive Energy Storage Materials

Citation

Stadie, Nicholas P. (2013) Synthesis and Thermodynamic Studies of Physisorptive Energy Storage Materials. Dissertation (Ph.D.), California Institute of Technology. doi:10.7907/ZK3P-CV60. https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechTHESIS:09092012-010239493

Abstract

Physical adsorption of hydrogen or other chemical fuels on the surface of carbonaceous materials offers a promising avenue for energy storage applications. The addition of a well-chosen sorbent material to a compressed gas tank increases the volumetric energy density of the system while still permitting fast refueling, simplicity of design, complete reversibility, high cyclability, and low overall cost of materials. While physical adsorption is most effective at temperatures below ambient, effective storage technologies are possible at room temperature and modestly high pressure. A volumetric Sieverts apparatus was designed, constructed, and commissioned to accurately measure adsorption uptake at high pressures and an appropriate thermodynamic treatment of the experimental data is presented.

In Chapter 1, the problem of energy storage is introduced in the context of hydrogen as an ideal alternative fuel for future mobile vehicle applications, and with methane in mind as a near-term solution. The theory of physical adsorption that is relevant to this work is covered in Chapter 2. In-depth studies of two classes of materials are presented in the final chapters. Chapter 3 presents a study of the dissociative “hydrogen spillover” effect in the context of its viability as a practical hydrogen storage solution at room temperature. Chapters 4-5 deal with zeolite-templated carbon, an extremely high surface-area material which shows promise for hydrogen and methane storage applications. Studies of hydrogen adsorption at high pressure (Chapter 4) and anomalous thermodynamic properties of methane adsorption (Chapter 5) on ZTCs are presented. The concluding chapter discusses the impact of and possible future directions for this work.

Item Type:Thesis (Dissertation (Ph.D.))
Subject Keywords:adsorption, physisorption, thermodynamics, carbon materials, hydrogen storage, methane storage
Degree Grantor:California Institute of Technology
Division:Engineering and Applied Science
Major Option:Materials Science
Thesis Availability:Public (worldwide access)
Research Advisor(s):
  • Fultz, Brent T. (co-advisor)
  • Ahn, Channing C. (co-advisor)
Thesis Committee:
  • Fultz, Brent T. (chair)
  • Ahn, Channing C.
  • Haile, Sossina M.
  • Johnson, William Lewis
  • Davis, Mark E.
  • Goddard, William A., III
Defense Date:5 November 2012
Errata:Page 65 of this thesis was updated to correct for an error in the mathematics.
Record Number:CaltechTHESIS:09092012-010239493
Persistent URL:https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechTHESIS:09092012-010239493
DOI:10.7907/ZK3P-CV60
Default Usage Policy:No commercial reproduction, distribution, display or performance rights in this work are provided.
ID Code:7198
Collection:CaltechTHESIS
Deposited By: Nicholas Stadie
Deposited On:05 Dec 2012 18:23
Last Modified:03 Oct 2019 23:56

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