CE 2020 | The MAST3RBoost project for the decarbonization of vehicles in Europe through improved hydrogen storage “Maturing the Production Standards of Ultraporous Structures for High Density Hydrogen Storage Bank Operating on Swinging Temperatures and Low Compression”, is a European project aimed at providing a solid reference point for low-temperature cold-adsorbed hydrogen storage (CAH2) at low compression (100 bar or less). The project focuses on a new generation of ultraporous materials (activated carbon, AC, and Metal–Organic Frameworks, MOFs) for mobility applications, meaning hydrogen-powered vehicles, including road, rail, air, and maritime transport.
The goal is to achieve a 30% increase in hydrogen storage capacity at 100 bar (compared to MOF-5, one of the current benchmarks for maximum adsorption capacity), reaching 10 wt.% and 44 gH₂/lPS ([1]), while scaling laboratory synthesis protocols to industrial-level production processes. Achieving these targets will represent a significant step forward for hydrogen storage systems and thus contribute to the decarbonization of Europe’s transport sector.
Currently, the state-of-the-art onboard hydrogen storage technology is based on 700-bar compression, which has reached 25 gH₂/lsys ([2]), a value that is still low considering that market acceptance requires the ability to store 5 kg of H₂ in a gasoline-equivalent tank (80 kg or 90 L). Indeed, the complexities associated with efficient H₂ storage are slowing the widespread adoption of fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs). The objective of MAST3RBoost is to reach at least 40 gH₂/Lsys, a major milestone that would help provide the market with a true alternative to current internal combustion engines, which are among the largest contributors to EU greenhouse gas emissions.
[1] gH2/lPS: grams of hydrogen stored per liter of adsorbent material under pressure-swing conditions between 100 bar and 5 bar;
[2] gH2/lsys: grams of hydrogen stored per liter of the overall system, including the tank and all auxiliary components required for operation.