Objective
HYCONES proposes the use of a radically new, leading-edge material, namely carbon cones (CCs), as a practical, inexpensive, lightweight, high capacity H2 storage medium, capable of storing/releasing above 6 wt.% H2 in a temperature window well suited for mobile applications.
Carbon cones comprise a new form of carbon, fundamentally different from all the so far known carbon structures, which is produced in industrial quantities during the so-called Kværner Carbon Black H2 Process and is composed of carbon microstructures, which are flat discs and cones (appr. 20%).
The CCs consist of curved graphite sheets, while five different cone angles have been observed, in accordance with the incurrence of one to five pentagons at the cone tips. Patented experiments clearly demonstrate unprecedented uptake-release of H2 unlike those for any other carbon material, as well as a new form of interaction between carbon and H2 (in contrast to conventional physi- and chemi-sorption), capable of releasing H2 at room temperature.
This unique behaviour was explained after ad-hoc computational calculations, which indicate that due to the special topology of CCs, the system is characterized by unique electronic properties distinctively different from any other form of activated or nanostructured carbon, notably the fullerene family (including bucky-balls, single- and multi-wall nanotubes).
Taking also into consideration the fact that the raw material can be produced economically in industrial quantities, HYCONES main target is to bring together a critical mass of instrumentation and know how resources and to focus its leading edge research potential in the development, characterization and modelling of this new 'unexplored' carbon form in order to develop a radically new H2 storage material with the potential to meet vehicle on-board storage requirements.
Fields of science
- natural sciencesphysical sciencescondensed matter physicssoft matter physics
- engineering and technologynanotechnologynano-materials
- engineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringenergy and fuelsfuel cells
- engineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringenergy and fuelsrenewable energyhydrogen energy
- natural sciencescomputer and information sciencessoftwaresoftware applicationssimulation software
Topic(s)
Call for proposal
FP6-2004-NMP-TI-4
See other projects for this call
Funding Scheme
STREP - Specific Targeted Research ProjectCoordinator
AGHIA PARASKEVI
Greece