Plasma Kinetics Light-Activated Hydrides

This will be huge because all battery systems store chemical energy.  The best source of chemical energy has always been hydrogen. storage was the problem.

Now we can store it with hydrides and then release it using light.  Hydrides have been understood for a long time, but this is a practical system for using it.  It also supplies a viable hydrogen supply for fuel cells as well.  Again a long lasting problem.

Finally tapping hydrides for hydrogen storage makes the whole power grid system wonderfully efficient.  It would be amusing if the onsert of full EV economics creates a huge surplus of available power..

Plasma Kinetics Light-Activated Hydrides

April 27, 2021 by Brian Wang

https://www.nextbigfuture.com/2021/04/plasma-kinetics-light-activated-hydrides.html

Plasma Kinetics makes light-activated hydrides. It removed the hydrogen from a hydride using light. It system is safe, clean, and scalable and holds more energy than a lithium-ion battery, costing less, and recharges in 5 minutes. This is an energy storage technology that Sandy Munro believes is workable.

PK is the first company to pursue hydrogen in the form of a light-activated nano-structured thin film. Plasma Kinetics’ success is in our unique ability to filter out hydrogen from exhaust gases “like a sponge” with low temperature and pressure – reducing cost. Captured hydrogen is contained indefinitely, releasing with light on demand. Plasma Kinetics advancements offer the means for zero-carbon hydrogen, it’s an economical and safe hydrogen transport and infrastructure system. Our technology scales to fit the power demand of any application.

Plasma Kinetics patent portfolio includes five U.S. patents with more than 40 granted claims. They have patents in Canada, Japan and Korea and patents pending in multiple countries around the world. Plasma Kinetics introduced Light Activated Energy Storage (LAES) hydrogen storage technology to the U.S. Department of Energy in July 2009. The DOE Advanced Research Projects Division stated that our technology had “the potential to have a high transformational impact”.

Transforming Power

Plasma Kinetics is planning the introduction of 19L containers with 500 g of H2 for mobile applications (aircraft, vehicles, and boats). Larger containers of 67 m3 and 76 m3 will have 500 kg and 1000 kg of H2. The larger containers are used for hydrogen production, storage, and delivery to stationary or large mobile (ship and rail) applications. All products are lighter, smaller, and less expensive than lithium-ion batteries. All products are zero-carbon and are also reusable and recyclable.

Plasma Kinetics proprietary nanophotonic material absorbs hydrogen at standard atmospheric pressure and temperature. The material absorbs metric tons of hydrogen in minutes. Hydrogen is released by controlled light at 99.99+% purity.

Plasma Kinetics employs a layered nanophotonic structure with proprietary shape memory alloy that interacts with light. Individual layers are only angstroms thick, and nanolithography provides surface structures that support release of hydrogen with light.

They capture green solar-to-hydrogen or wind-to-hydrogen from electrolysis without pressure. Storage is 30% lighter, 7% smaller, and 17% less expensive than Lithium-ion battery per kWh. Plasma Kinetics Energy Systems are heavier and larger than compressed gas above 350 bar. Plasma Kinetics technology is more ecological and economical than compressed H2 without needing reforming energy, pump energy, pressure or carbon-fiber tanks.

Plasma Kinetics technology does not require a compressed gas infrastructure to produce, move, distribute or deliver hydrogen. 19L containers provided at convenience stores allow customers to return empty containers in exchange for recharged containers. Non-flammable hydrogen storage allows transported via air, truck, rail, or ship without restriction. Swapping containers takes less than 5 minutes and recharging of containers takes 5 to 30 minutes. Vehicles and aircraft can be hot-swappable (without engine shut-off) to allow more time on the road or in the air.

SOURCES- Plasma Kinetics, Sandy Munro

Written By Brian Wang, Nextbigfuture.com