Accelerated Formation of THF−H₂ Clathrate Hydrate in Porous Media

Porous media were used to control the hydrogen clathrate particle size in order to accelerate its formation kinetics. Stoichiometric tetrahydrofuran-hydrogen binary clathrate hydrates with approximately 1 wt % hydrogen loading formed in the mesopores of four porous media with median pore diameters of 49, 65, 100, and 226 A at 270 K and hydrogen pressure of 65 bar. The minimum formation time for the tetrahydrofuran-hydrogen binary clathrate hydrates was 27 min in a porous medium with a median pore diameter of 49 A, which is 6-22 times faster than the tetrahydrofuran-hydrogen binary clathrate hydrates formed in the bulk ice. The clathrate formation time was found to increase with pore size of the porous media. A modified shrinking core kinetic model was used to calculate the diffusivity of hydrogen in the tetrahydrofuran-hydrogen binary clathrate hydrates. Hydrogen diffusivities in the tetrahydrofuran-hydrogen binary clathrate hydrates were found to be on the order of 10(-18)-10(-19) m(2)/s and decrease with increasing pore size or clathrate particle size.