Good metal-based systems for hydrogen storage cannot be
developed without knowing how this element permeates through metals.
Researchers at the Institute of Physical Chemistry of the Polish Academy of
Sciences in Warsaw managed to apply a user-friendly electrochemical method to
study hydrogen diffusion in highly reactive metals.
Hydrogen is seen as a versatile energy carrier for the
future. Unfortunately, the element practically does not occur in the free state on Earth. Therefore, it
must be first generated (e.g., by electrolysis of water), then stored, to be finally used – ideally in fuel
cells transforming chemical energy directly into electrical one. Hydrogen storage represents, however, a
serious challenge. The drawbacks of conventional storage tanks for gaseous and liquid hydrogen
force us to look for other solutions. One of the promising methods for hydrogen storage makes use
of the capability of some metals and alloys to easily uptake this element. The development of
efficient hydrogen storage systems requires, however, a detailed knowledge on how hydrogen
diffuses in metals.