Hydrogen storage in magnesium-based alloys

Magnesium can reversibly store about 7.7 wt% hydrogen, equivalent to more than twice the density of liquid hydrogen. This high storage capacity, coupled with a low price, suggests that magnesium and magnesium alloys could be advantageous for use in battery electrodes and gaseous-hydrogen storage systems. The use of a hydrogen-storage medium based on magnesium, combined with a fuel cell to convert the hydrogen into electrical energy, is an attractive proposition for a clean transportation system. However, the advent of such a system will require further research into magnesium-based alloys that form less stable hydrides and proton-conducting membranes that can raise the operating temperature of existing fuel cells.