Provaris: Benefits of H2 Compression

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Sodium borohydride (NaBH4) has several limitations or drawbacks as a hydrogen carrier:

Expensive to Produce: Sodium borohydride is currently expensive to produce, which prevents its wide applications1. The current production is based on a 70-year-old Brown-Schlesinger process, which is capital and energy-intensive, requires high temperatures and high pressures, and generates large amounts of CO2 Ref.1.

Recycling Byproduct: Sodium borohydride leaves a byproduct known as sodium metaborate after the hydrolysis process2. This byproduct is very expensive to recycle Ref2.

Thermodynamic Stability: Sodium borohydride’s thermodynamic stability seriously hinders its application to obtain hydrogen Ref3 https://mdpi-res.com/d_attachment/ca...s-12-00356.pdf.

Infrastructure Requirements: The infrastructure for handling and distributing sodium borohydride is not as well established as for other fuels. This could add to the cost and complexity of using sodium borohydride as a hydrogen carrier.

Environmental Impact: The production of sodium borohydride and the recycling of its byproduct could have environmental impacts, particularly if the processes are not managed properly.

However, research is ongoing to address these challenges and make sodium borohydride a more viable hydrogen carrier. For example, a team of Australian researchers has developed a chemical catalyst process that can quickly and cheaply convert sodium metaborate into sodium borohydride Ref2. The Kotai Hydrogen Project at John Curtin University is working on a method to make sodium borohydride 20 times cheaper Ref2.https://fuelcellsworks.com/news/aust...n-powder-form/

For the most up-to-date information, it would be best to check the latest news or scientific publications.

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Other Hydrogen Carriers

There are several other promising hydrogen carriers being explored. Here are a few:

Ammonia: Ammonia is a promising hydrogen carrier due to its high hydrogen density and ease of liquefaction1. It can be easily transported and stored, and the infrastructure for its handling is well established. However, the challenge lies in the safe and efficient release of hydrogen from ammonia.
Methanol: Methanol is another potential hydrogen carrier. It is a liquid at room temperature, making it easy to transport and store1. However, similar to ammonia, releasing hydrogen from methanol requires a catalyst and can produce carbon dioxide as a byproduct.
Formic Acid: Formic acid can also be used as a hydrogen carrier1. It can release hydrogen through catalytic decomposition. However, formic acid is corrosive and requires careful handling.
Liquid Organic Hydrogen Carriers (LOHCs): LOHCs are organic compounds that can reversibly bind hydrogen23. They are stable and non-toxic, and can be transported using existing infrastructure. However, the hydrogen release process requires a catalyst and can be energy-intensive2.
Metal Hydrides: Metal hydrides can absorb and release hydrogen through a reversible chemical reaction14. They can store a large amount of hydrogen and release it at relatively low temperatures. However, they are often heavy and require high pressures for hydrogen absorption4.

Each of these carriers has its own advantages and challenges, and the choice of carrier would depend on the specific application and infrastructure available. Research is ongoing to improve these technologies and develop new ones.

References:
1 - https://mdpi-res.com/d_attachment/en...ion=1692279100

2. https://fuelcellsworks.com/news/aust...n-powder-form/

3. https://mdpi-res.com/d_attachment/ca...s-12-00356.pdf

4. https://link.springer.com/chapter/10...319-17031-2_36

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