AN ASTONISHING hi-tech material capable of soaking up huge quantities of hydrogen has been developed by US researchers.
Indeed, the sponge-like nano-material is said to possess a record-high surface area for holding gases. About one gram (
Despite identifying several promising materials, researchers on both sides of the Atlantic have been unable to meet the hydrogen storage goals thought necessary for truly effective fuel-cell vehicles.
Called University of Michigan Crystalline Material-2 (UMCM-2), the new material consists of zinc-oxide nanoclusters – each about 0.00002 of the width of a human hair – linked together by organic materials to generate a robust porous framework.
The scientists showed that UMCM-2 has a surface area exceeding 5,000sq m per gram – which is, they say, the highest value ever achieved.