QuantumSphere Awards Grant to University of South Florida for Hydrogen Storage Research

March 31, 2008 – Vol.13 No.2

QuantumSphere Awards Grant to University of South Florida for Hydrogen Storage Research.

The grant will be used to evaluate use of nanoparticles to improve on-board hydrogen storage in automotive fuel cell applications. The award was given to Professor Elias Stefanakos and postdoctoral student Sesha Srinivasan of USF. The USF team will integrate nanomaterials into chemical hydrides for hydrogen storage devices and evaluate their ability to absorb and release hydrogen.

This marks the second year that QuantumSphere has awarded research grants for the integration of nanomaterials into cutting-edge applications.

Kevin Maloney, CEO of QuantumSphere said "We believe Professor Stefanakos' and Dr. Srinivasan's proposal holds exceptional promise in advancing the field of hydrogen storage for fuel cells. His group at the University of South Florida will attempt to make hydrogen fuel cells more practical by improving the ability to store and release hydrogen fuel. Chemical hydrides, as well as high pressure tanks, are commonly used technologies for on-board hydrogen storage."

Stefanakos hopes his group's research improves the rate at which hydrogen can be compressed and decompressed into a fuel cell storage medium. He will use nanomaterials in an attempt to improve the kinetics of hydrogen's removal from the storage hydride, and also reduce the temperature of the process. Improvements in both these properties will need to be addressed to meet future guidelines developed by the U.S. Department of Energy.

"QuantumSphere's patented manufacturing process has enabled the production of advanced nanomaterials with highly desirable qualities that could increase the rate in which hydrogen is released from and absorbed back into these chemical hydrides," said Stefanakos. "These ultra-pure, highly uniform metals measure less than 50 nanometers in size, and they present unique properties that may advance the use of hydrides to make fuel cells smaller and more practical in automotive applications."

Last year, QuantumSphere initiated a call for research grant proposals to partner with universities and sponsor individual or group research through the prototype phase in an effort to accelerate validation and commercialization of these advanced materials in consumer and industrial applications. The award to the University of South Florida is one of two grants awarded by QuantumSphere this year. The second grant was awarded to Iowa State University to conduct research in the use of nanomaterials for anti-microbial purposes. This is the second year QuantumSphere has awarded these grants and the first year they have been awarded to research institutions outside of California. (3/31/08)

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