Work on Improved Hydrogen Storage Systems Continues at Lithuanian Energy Institute
by Jurgis Vilemas
Surface Engineering Group

Dr. Jurgis Vilemas, Director of Lithuanian Energy Institute (LEI) announced that Sandia National Laboratories renewed a Research & Development Agreement with LEI. The project focuses on fabrication of catalyzed Mg(AlH4)2 films by introduction of strictly controlled quantities of titanium and zirconium catalysts during film deposition employing simultaneous co-deposition of magnesium, aluminium and catalyst atoms. To put in laymen’s terms, the LEI process involves the evaporation of metal atoms from an array of pure blocks and subsequent co-deposition on a nearby substrate to form alloy films. The resultant films will be studied for their ability to reversibly absorb and desorb hydrogen gas, that is their potential to serve as rechargeable metal hydrides. “We are pleased that Sandia Laboratories and US Department of Energy have placed their trust in our team of scientists headed by Dr. Darius Milcius. We will build on our earlier successes in this field, with the ultimate goal of developing an improved storage media for hydrogen” said Dr. Vilemas in making the announcement.

“With the introduction of fuel cell based power systems into the marketplace, the need for new technologies for hydrogen storage became evident” observed Dr. Milcius. “One of the most promising methods of hydrogen storage is hydrogen absorbed in metal hydrides. The hydrogen is stored through a reversible chemical equilibrium reaction with a solid material known generically as metal hydride. The major problem with metal hydrides is the ratio of the weight of absorbed hydrogen to the weight of the metal hydride. It is our goal to significantly improve this ratio - i.e. the amount of stored hydrogen” concluded Dr. Milcius.

For further information please contact Dr. Darius Milcius (milcius@isag.lei.lt).