Comparison of hydrogen adsorption on nanoporous materials

Carbon-based microporous materials such as nanoporous activated carbons (AC), single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) and metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have been proposed as storage materials for hydrogen. In this paper we discuss and compare various physisorption materials as storage medium for hydrogen. Promising utilizations remain limited to certain niche applications, such as bulk transportation of hydrogen. Meeting the ambitious US Department of Energy (DOE) target will require going beyond structural optimization, and qualitatively change the interactions involved in the sorption process, by investigating the effects of dopants, catalysts and substitution.