Advanced metal hydrides for applications (hydrotech-3)

The proposal aims on strengthening of international competence of Norwegian and South African R&D communities in the field of hydrogen energy systems where a large global industrial market is evidently foreseeable. A common 6-months postdoc competence bui lding project is proposed to train and educate a young researcher from the University of the Western Cape (UWC, South Africa) Dr. Mario Williams in two Norwegian, leading in the field of hydrogen, research institutions in Institute for Energy Technology ( IFE, Kjeller) and Department of Materials Science and Technology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (Trondheim, NTNU). The proposed activity further develops collaboration between UWC, IFE and NTNU established within a running project in the program of bilateral collaboration Norway-South Africa supported by the Research Council of Norway. Other project objectives include: - Development of novel materials and technologies for hydrogen extraction from industrial gas streams, its compact and sa fe storage and supply to consumer. - Development of novel approaches in utilisation of South African natural resources, including noble metal Pd and hydride-forming metals, Zr, Ti and V. - Attaining leading international level of research and development by complementing expertise of South African University of the Western Cape with those of the Norwegian institutions, IFE and NTNU. The knowledge gained during implementation of the project is expected to allow for directed design of a new generation of t he metal hydride materials suitable for industrial applications. The project includes the following activities: - Development and characterisation of the substrate alloys characterised by acceptable hydrogen sorption performances at process conditions; - Development of surface modification procedure through the use of palladium nanoparticle impregnation and fluorination; - Characterisation and optimisation of the surface-modified nanocomposite materials.