Tech Briefs
Savannah River National Laboratory
Mechanochemical Solid/Liquid Reaction in Formation of Alane
Technology Overview
Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) has developed novel methods for the formation of Aluminum Hydride, a hydrogen storage material. In this method, the product is both stabilized and phase-separated from the reactants immediately upon formation. This method allows for lower cost precursor materials to be utilized.
Benefits
- Economical production of a hydrogen storage material
- Easy separation of the desired alane adduct product
- Provides a pathway for the use of lower cost precursors in the production of alane
Applications
- Hydrogen storage
- Solid energy storage
Description
Aluminum hydride (alane) has the ability to release nearly all the stored hydrogen on demand. This makes it quite useful for solid phase storage of hydrogen as a fuel and in solid energy applications. This method can utilize low cost reactants that can provide a route for facile separation of the alane product from the reactants and impurities. A non-soluble alkali metal alanate or hydride is combined with an aluminum halide in the presence of a liquid phase solvent which can also act as a Lewis base. Mechanical energy is repeatedly transferred to the reactants, encouraging a mechanochemical reaction between the solid phase alkali metal alanate or hydride and the aluminum halide to form alane adducts. This alane adduct can then be dissociated and crystallized to provide α-alane.
Intellectual Property
This technology and methods for its use have been granted U.S. Patent No. 10,138,122 B2 (November 27, 2018), “Mechanochemical Solid/Liquid Reaction in Formation of Alane” and is available for licensing.
Partnering Opportunities
SRNL invites interested companies with proven capabilities in this area of expertise to develop commercial applications for this process under a cooperative research and development agreement (CRADA) or licensing agreement. Interested companies will be requested to submit a business plan setting forth company qualifications, strategies, activities, and milestones for commercializing this invention. Qualifications should include past experience at bringing similar products to market, reasonable schedule for product launch, sufficient manufacturing capacity, established distribution networks, and evidence of sufficient financial resources for product development and launch.
Download Tech Brief
Contact Information
Savannah River National Laboratory
E-mail: partnerships@srnl.doe.gov