Publisher's Synopsis
This book, Carbon Nanomaterials in Clean Energy Hydrogen Systems, aims to provide the wide overview of the latest scientific results on basic research and technological applications of hydrogen interactions with carbon materials. Unlike the conventional graphite phase, carbon nanostructures possess metallic or semiconductor properties that can induce catalysis by participating directly in the charge transfer process. Further, the electrochemical properties of these materials facilitate modulation of their charge transfer properties and aid in the design of catalysts for hydrogenation, sensors, and fuel cells. Analyzing today's situation and tracing tendencies, it is clear that the primary energy consumption is increasing but reserves are running out very rapidly. Meanwhile, global utilization of fossils is causing environmental problems throughout the world. As a consequence, investigations of alternative energy strategies have recently become important, particularly for future world stability. In first chapter a short description of water photocatalysis and photosynthetic hydrogen production and work of our laboratory on these subjects are given. In second chapter, we report the sequencing and analysis of the genome of the purple non-sulfur photosynthetic bacterium Rubrivivax gelatinosus CBS. High capacity hydrogen storage in Ni decorated carbon nanocone has been described in third chapter. The aim of fourth chapter is to examine hydrogen storage capacity and the possibility of hydride formation upon hydrogen storage operation and to determine hydrogen storage capacity in the presence of oxygen molecules at the Ni decorated CNC. The fifth chapter deals with the possibility of improving the hydrogen storage capacity using an activation process consisting of ? rays irradiation. The goal of sixth chapter is to use water thermolysis either in solar concentrators or in nuclear power plants to produce hydrogen directly using thermal energy. Solar concentrators can produce very high temperatures (over 1800K) by concentrating sunlight using a system of mirrors. Seventh chapter reviews the existing hydrogen production technologies then highlights the recent progress made on hydrogen production from small scale CL processes. Eighth chapter focuses the application of nanostructured materials for storing atomic or molecular hydrogen. The synergistic effects of nanocrystalinity and nanocatalyst doping on the metal or complex hydrides for improving the thermodynamics and hydrogen reaction kinetics are discussed. In ninth chapter, the contribution of CNTs is addressed in terms of sustainable environment and green technologies perspective, such as waste water treatment, air pollution monitoring, biotechnologies, renewable energy technologies, supercapacitors and green nanocomposites. Tenth chapter presents about mechanical properties of metal dihydrides. Eleventh chapter presents review of solid state hydrogen storage methods adopting different kinds of novel materials.