University of Latvia scientists: hydrogen could be stored in material made from aluminum waste
Scientists at the University of Latvia's Institute of Solid State Physics are developing a solution that would allow hydrogen to be stored and transported in a material created from aluminum waste.
Hydrogen has long been discussed as one of the possible energy solutions of the future. However, its wider practical use has so far been hindered by several factors, and it is precisely these obstacles that Latvian scientists are now working to address.
Why hydrogen is hard to use more widely
One of the main stumbling blocks is the high cost of production — generating hydrogen remains an expensive process. Added to this are the difficulties involved in storing and transporting hydrogen, since the substance requires special conditions and safety measures that make logistics complicated and costly.
A solution from recycled materials
To help ease these problems, scientists at the University of Latvia's Institute of Solid State Physics (LU CFI) are working on a solution based on aluminum waste. A material created from this waste makes it possible to both store and transport hydrogen.
The approach is notable on two fronts: it not only offers an alternative method of storing hydrogen, but also puts to productive use aluminum production or recycling waste that would otherwise go unused.
The LU CFI research is part of a broader scientific effort exploring ways to make hydrogen a more economically and technically accessible energy carrier in the future.
