Catalysis

Engineering

Materials science

Liquid hydrogen

Chemical engineering

Hydrogen storage

Hydrogen

Organic chemistry

Renewable energy

Cryo-adsorption

Fossil fuel

Ethylene

Ruthenium

Chemistry

Energy carrier

Ethylene glycol

Electrical engineering

Nature Catalysis

Hydrogen has long been regarded as an ideal alternative clean energy vector to overcome the drawbacks of fossil technology. However, the direct utilization of hydrogen is challenging, due to low volumetric energy density of hydrogen gas and potential safety issues. Herein, we report an efficient and reversible liquid to liquid organic hydrogen carrier system based on inexpensive, readily available and renewable ethylene glycol. This hydrogen storage system enables the efficient and reversible loading and discharge of hydrogen using a ruthenium pincer complex, with a theoretical hydrogen storage capacity of 6.5 wt%.

Ethylene glycol as an efficient and reversible liquid-organic hydrogen carrier