Page 258 - Polymer-based Nanocomposites for Energy and Environmental Applications

230 Polymer-based Nanocomposites for Energy and Environmental Applications

8.3 PANI-based nanocomposites for hydrogen storage

In recent years, nanomaterials along with its high-aspect ratio and outstanding elec-
tric, electronic, mechanical, optical, magnetic, and surface properties have shown
great interest among researchers. Significantly, the high-aspect ratio of these materials
finds its importance in energy storage research and especially finds a prominent place
in the hydrogen storage applications. Nanomaterials such as CNTs, complex hydride/
carbon nanocomposites, polymer nanocomposites, and MOFs are employed to store
large quantities of hydrogen. While considering PANI, the electric conductivity is of
1
0
the order of 10 Scm , which is comparatively lower than that of metal and superior
than that of the rest conducting polymers (CP) [20]. This discussion focuses on the
CP-based PANI and its various nanocomposite materials for storing atomic or molec-
ular hydrogen. The hydrogen storage studies of PANI and with different
nanocomposites are shown in Fig. 8.10. The nanocomposite material composed of
a PANI matrix, which can be functionalized by either carbon materials or absorption
of nanovariants such as metal and metal oxides, is projected to be an auspicious con-
tender for hydrogen storage applications [45].

8.3.1 PANI-metal nanocomposites

Carbon-based materials have intrinsically low enthalpy for H 2 adsorption; hence, it is
a challenge to store a surplus amount of H 2 at or close to room temperature, whereas at
cryogenic temperature, better storage capacities can be attained on carbon-based
materials. This is one of the key obstacles for the use of H 2 as an alternative energy.
So, there is a need to explore new material systems with amended thermodynamics of
H 2 interaction in carbon-based materials with large surface area for sorption and

Metal
particles

Carbon PANI Ternary
materials nanocomposites composites

Metal
oxides

Fig. 8.10 Schematic representation of PANI with different composite materials studied for
hydrogen storage applications.