Hydro-Quebec

Guoxian Liang

Robert Schulz

Jacques Huot

Daniel Guay

Sabin Boily

Guy Lalande

Andre Van Neste

Marie-Chantal Denis

Jean-Pol Dodelet

An improved method is disclosed for producing gaseous hydrogen by subjecting a metal or a metal hydride to a chemical reaction. In this method, the metal or metal hydride subjected to the chemical reaction is nanocrystalline. Indeed, it has been found that when, instead of using conventional metal hydrides (Mg-based or others), use is made of a metal or metal hydride that is or has been subjected to intensive mechanical deformations, such as a metastable nanocrystalline metal hydride, then the chemical reaction, especially hydrolysis, will take place much more readily, at a much higher rate and, most of the time, up to completion.

Method for producing gaseous hydrogen by chemical reaction of metals or metal hydrides subjected to intense mechanical deformations

Leached nanocrystalline materials having a high specific surface are particularly useful for storing hydrogen or as catalysts or electrocatalysts in the manufacture electrodes, especially for fuel cells. Such materials can be manufactured by preparing a nanocrystalline material consisting of a metastable composite or alloy of at least two different chemical elements. To be nanocrystalline, this material must have a crystalline structure with the grain size lower than 100 nm. Then, the so prepared nanocrystalline material can be subjected to a leaching treatment in order to eliminate partially or totally one of the elements of the composite or alloy. This leaching results in nanocrystalline materials having a porous structure and, thereby, the requested high specific surface.

Leached nanocrystalline materials process for manufacture of the same,

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