At Merlin, we facilitate hydrogen’s role as an energy vector. We advance the frontier of science to decrease hydrogen supply chain costs. We translate innovative ideas into practical solutions and create techno-economic models for effective implementation.
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Find out more about our research
At Merlin, our core expertise is in the synthesis, characterisation and application of hydride materials, i.e. materials such as magnesium hydride (MgH2) and lithium borohydride (LiBH4) capable of storing hydrogen. Our research is focused on the fundamental understanding of the behaviour of hydride materials at the nanoscale (i.e. with a particle size below 10 nm). Our focus is based on optimising materials to store hydrogen in an efficient manner, to distribute this energy during times of intermittent renewable supply and facilitate a greater penetration of renewable hydrogen.
Our ambition is to translate to the market a first generation of room temperature hydrogen storage materials, while developing the next generation with hydrogen storage capacity of 8 mass %.
We also research alternative materials, processes and designs to facilitate the emergence of cost effective electrolysers, fuel cells and direct hydrogen combustion methods to facilitate the use of our hydrogen storage technologies.
With this research, we can contribute to transitioning society to efficiently power homes and industries, appliances, and transportation with hydrogen and zero emissions. Our team consists of engineers, researchers, and postgraduates who also collaborate with many national and international research groups.
One of the challenge limiting the broad deployment of hydrogen are effective means for its storage. Hydrogen may be stored as a gas, a liquid, or bonded within a solid material. The latter is the safest approach and has a relatively high volumetric capacity –a requirement for the practical use of hydrogen as a clean energy vector.
Many hydride materials can store hydrogen by absorbing it like a sponge. However, the next generation of materials rely on light materials that require very high temperatures >400 °C and/or pressures >200 bar to reversibly absorb or release hydrogen. At Merlin our approach to solve this problem is to engineer hydride materials “atoms by atoms” so we can accurately tailor their properties for given applications.
Metals such as Li, Mg and Al can safely deliver significant amounts of energy through their reaction with oxygen. These metals can also store significant amounts of hydrogen. Control of their properties will provide solutions for novel, clean and high density energy storage devices akin to batteries.
All-solid-state batteries with pure metal anode can solve the problem of conventional batteries (such as lithium-ion) having a limited energy density. The key challenge with this solution is ensuring the stability of pure metal anode against an electrolyte. Complex hydrides are promising candidates owing to their lightweight and excellent compatibility with metal anodes (Li, Na, and/or Mg). But the low ionic conductivity at room temperature limits their developments. At Merlin we have developed several methods to increase the ionic conductivity of complex borohydrides. Through our modification, the ionic conductivity of complex borohydrides can reach the practical application level (10-3 S/cm) at near room temperature.
Due to the efficiency of converting hydrogen to power, fuel cells have been widely investigated. However, small scale fuel cells remain expensive and inefficient. We are redesigning fuel cells to simplify their manufacturing through 3D printing methods and improve their performance so these can replace conventional batteries in all type of application including portable devices.
We are also revisiting the concept of water electrolysis, to enable new design reducing the cost of hydrogen production through water splitting. This includes advance electrolyser concepts capable of producing hydrogen from water and in their reversible function generate electricity from hydrogen and air.
The major advantages of hydrogen combustion facilitated by catalysts are the absence of NOx (Nitrogen Oxide) emission and flashback, and this remains the best solution for the safe and clean combustion of hydrogen. Our group is focusing on the design of advanced catalytic materials that can enable the combustion of hydrogen at low-temperature and without any flame. We also work on the integration of these catalysts in advanced hydrogen burners.
The ranks of the Faculty of Science have been bolstered with the arrival of world leading hydrogen storage researcher Professor Kondo-Francois Aguey-Zinsou to the School of Chemistry.
MERLin Group is led by Professor Francois Aguey-Zinsou. For information about opportunities to work or collaborate with the MERLin group, please contact Professor Aguey-Zinsou at f.aguey@sydney.edu.au.
