Key Findings
A research team led by Associate Professor Zhou Guangmin has proposed a new path for hydrogen synthesis using a reversible energy carrier. By redefining metal zinc—commonly used in aqueous battery energy storage—as a “hydrogen storage carrier,” the team developed a zinc-based hydrogen supply system. The system demonstrates a volumetric hydrogen capacity ranging from 137.9 to 218.4 kg/m³, a figure that exceeds liquid hydrogen and most existing hydrogen storage systems.
Technical Details
The team utilized a machine learning-assisted screening strategy to evaluate a ligand library of 874 candidate molecules. Combined with density functional theory calculations, lactate was identified as the critical ligand. In alkaline media, lactate coordinates with divalent zinc ions produced during the reaction to form highly soluble complexes. This mechanism overcomes the solubility limits caused by zinc oxide formation, increasing the concentration of soluble divalent zinc ions to 1.12 mol/L.
The hardware consists of a “no external circuit + self-driven” contact catalysis system. Internal electron transfer occurs between the zinc fuel and the hydrogen evolution catalyst layer via the container wall, eliminating the need for external power sources, wires, or complex battery management systems. The system operates stably between 0 and 80°C with a Faradaic efficiency of 99%.
Background and Context
The scale-up of green hydrogen is currently hindered by storage and transport bottlenecks. Traditional high-pressure gaseous storage presents safety risks, while low-temperature liquid storage involves high energy consumption and evaporation losses. Liquid organic hydrogen carriers offer advantages at ambient temperature and pressure, but their dehydrogenation typically requires high temperatures and is prone to side reactions.
Significance and Outlook
This solid-state zinc carrier system proves the scientific feasibility of high-density, on-demand hydrogen supply at ambient temperature and pressure. The modular nature of the system allows for scale expansion through series connection, making it suitable for distributed hydrogen supply in fuel cell vehicles, portable power sources, and remote microgrids. The findings provide a new benchmark for balancing energy density and system complexity compared to ammonia-based or liquid organic hydrogen carriers.
Source: https://finance.sina.com.cn/tech/roll/2026-11-02/doc-inixhnmi2570174.shtml
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