A Comparative Study of Metal Hydrides as Efficient Storage Solution for Green Hydrogen

Hydrogen, as a fuel is considered to be a clean and sustainable energy carrier, and has emerged as a solution for transitioning to renewable energy. However, due to the low energy density and requirement of extreme storage conditions, efficient storage arises as a critical challenge. Therefore, this study focuses on evaluating metal hydrides for solid hydrogen storge, as the hydrides have shown great promise due to their superior gravimetric and volumetric capacities. The study evaluates the selected materials like: LaNi 5 (Lanthanum Pentanickel), NaAlH 4 (Sodium Aluminum Hydride), LiBH 4 (Lithium Borohydride), MgH 2 (Magnesium Hydride) and CaH 2 (Calcium Hydride) under the parameters such as gravimetric and volumetric capacities, desorption temperature, reversibility, and efficiency. The methodology involves simulating release kinetics, to assess temperature-dependent desorption behaviour. Comparative analysis of theoretical, simulated, and experimental data is performed to identify the most efficient material. Simulations were conducted using COMSOL Multiphysics and the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) was employed for systematic material selection. Preliminary findings indicate that LaNi 5 H 6 demonstrates superior reversibility and low desorption temperature, while LiBH4 has high hydrogen storage capacity, making them the most promising candidate for practical hydrogen storage applications.