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Methane sponge: DOE +33%

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  • Methane sponge: DOE +33%



    In a major advance in alternative fuel technology, researchers report development of a sponge-like material with the highest methane storage capacity ever measured. It can hold almost one-third more methane than the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) target level for methane-powered cars, they report in a new study. It is scheduled for the Jan. 23 issue of ACS’ Journal of the American Chemical Society.


    New methane storage technology exceeds DOE goals

    In a major advance in alternative fuel technology, researchers report development of a sponge-like material with the highest methane storage capacity ever measured. It can hold almost one-third more methane than the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) target level for methane-powered cars, they report in a new study. It is scheduled for the Jan. 23 issue of ACS’ Journal of the American Chemical Society.


    Hong-Cai Zhou and colleagues note that lack of an effective, economical and safe on-board storage system for methane gas has been one of the major hurdles preventing methane-driven automobiles from competing with traditional ones.

    Recently, highly-porous, crystalline materials called metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have emerged as promising storage materials due to their high surface areas. However, none of the MOF compounds have reached DOE target levels considered practical for fuel storage applications, the scientists say.

    The report describes development of a new type of MOF, called PCN-14, that has a high surface area of over 2000 m2/g. Laboratory studies show that the compound, composed of clusters of nano-sized cages, has a methane storage capacity 28 percent higher than the DOE target, a record high for methane-storage materials, the researchers say.

    Source: ACS
    Dr. Mordrid
    ----------------------------
    An elephant is a mouse built to government specifications.

    I carry a gun because I can't throw a rock 1,250 fps

  • #2
    Let's hope that this fizzles out as a practical means of driving cars. For every kg of methane burnt (in a car or a gas ring or whatever), 2.74 kg of CO2 are emitted, but that's not all. Fugitive emissions of methane from wellheads, purification plants, pipelines, liquefaction plants, regasifiers, incomplete combustion etc. make the use of natural gas worse, for greenhouse gas emissions, than plain petrol (gasoline) or diesel fuel. We should make every effort to REDUCE NG usage, not to increase it.

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    Brian (the devil incarnate)

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    • #3
      I thought methane was dangerous and we should try our best to keep the permafrost frosty.

      Looks like quite a good achievement, hope it can be done with the household elements, rather than stuff like platinum.
      ______________________________
      Nothing is impossible, some things are just unlikely.

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      • #4
        This would be more useful if it can be adapted for Hydrogen storage in portable fuel cells.

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        • #5
          Some fuel cells can work from methane. However hyrdogen is no better. It is either reformed from methane, requiring extra energy to do so, the carbon dioxide being emitted in the same ratio (1 kg methane > 500 g H2 + 2.74 kg CO2) or from electrolysis. As 92% of the world's electricity is thermal from fossil fuels, the efficiency of the thermal power stations is ~30% and the efficiency of the electolysers is ~75% and the efficiency of the distribution systems is ~93%, the overall energy efficiency is 21%, a helluva lot of CO2 has to be emitted to electrolyse water. ~98% of the world's hydrogen is made by reforming methane or other hydrocarbons. Hydrogen is a no-no fuel, simply because it is not a fuel, it is a rather poor means of storing energy, analogical to a battery: it has to be made.
          Brian (the devil incarnate)

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          • #6
            Well maybe if they could improve solar and use that to electrolyze the H2 from water.

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            • #7
              Methane production by engineered bacteria 'processing' cellulose has made great advances, so it'll be in the mix. Hydrogen catalysis has also made big strides in the last few months. Same for methane and hydrogen fuel cells.
              Dr. Mordrid
              ----------------------------
              An elephant is a mouse built to government specifications.

              I carry a gun because I can't throw a rock 1,250 fps

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              • #8
                Originally posted by Dr Mordrid View Post
                Methane production by engineered bacteria 'processing' cellulose has made great advances, so it'll be in the mix. Hydrogen catalysis has also made big strides in the last few months. Same for methane and hydrogen fuel cells.
                You're not talking about industrial quantities. This is all niche work and could never become mainstream, at least in the foreseeable future.
                Brian (the devil incarnate)

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