X-ray study reveals the formation of iridium trihydride at
high pressure
An international team of researchers has synthesized a new
material that stores an unusually large amount of hydrogen. Performing
high-pressure X-ray studies at DESY’s PETRA III and other light sources, the
scientists detected the formation of previously unobserved iridium hydride from
hydrogen and metallic iridium at a pressure of 55 gigapascals (GPa),
corresponding to approximately 550,000 times the Earth’s atmospheric pressure.
The new material can store up to three times more hydrogen than most other metal
hydrides, and its synthesis may contribute to the development of high-capacity
hydrogen fuel cells in cars and other applications.