Low-cost sodium borohydride production for the hydrogen economy

Project Member(s): Khalilpour, K., Huang, Z.

Funding or Partner Organisation: Department of Industry, Innovation and Science (Cooperative Research Centre - Projects CRC-P)
Department of Industry, Innovation and Science (Cooperative Research Centre - Projects CRC-P)
Boron Molecular Pty Ltd
GrapheneX Pty Ltd

Start year: 2022

Summary: Safe and cost-effective hydrogen storage is needed to expand the use of hydrogen. This Project will develop a blueprint for an industry-scale, cost-effective process to produce sodium borohydride (NaBH4), a safe and efficient hydrogen carrier. It will overcome the key problem in adopting NaBH4 for hydrogen storage: the high cost due to a 70-year-old manufacturing process, which is capital- and energy-intensive. The Project will develop a pilot plant demonstrating the feasibility of upscaling the production of NaBH4 using a recent innovation. Success in commercialisation by two Australian SMEs will improve local advanced manufacturing capability, and establish Australia’s leadership in hydrogen storage in the global hydrogen economy.

FOR Codes: Hydrogen storage, Electrical energy generation (incl. renewables, excl. photovoltaics)

Acknowledgement of Country

UTS acknowledges the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation, the Boorooberongal people of the Dharug Nation, the Bidiagal people and the Gamaygal people, upon whose ancestral lands our university stands. We would also like to pay respect to the Elders both past and present, acknowledging them as the traditional custodians of knowledge for these lands.