Background: Here are many applications that require the storage of a high density of gas molecules. The driving range of vehicles powered by natural gas or hydrogen for instance is determined by the maximum density of gas that can be stored inside a fuel tank and delivered to the engine or fuel cell. In certain situations it is desirable to lower the pressure or raise the temperature needed to store a given amount of gas through the use of an adsorbent. Developments in next-generation adsorbents such as metal-organic frameworks and activated carbons have shown certain weaknesses in terms of the amount of gas that can be delivered when an application has a minimum desorption pressure greater than zero and when a significant amount of heat is released during adsorption or cooling occurs during desorption. Technology Description: To help solve these problems researchers at the University of California Berkeley have developed a next generation of materials using novel porous metal-organic frameworks that demonstrate unprecedented deliverable gas capacities. These engineered adsorbents maximize the amount of gas delivered during each adsorption/desorption cycle. This shows promise in developing next generation gas storage materials for applications with a wide range of operating conditions. Applications: 1) Natural gas storage for vehicles 2) Hydrogen gas storage for vehicles 3) Natural gas transport and storage
1) High performance in the presence of heat and pressure change 2) Robust range of vehicular and stationary power environments 3) Leverages industry standard chemical processing platforms