【Frontiers in HaiChuan Chemical Technology】Internationally leading in liquid flow hydrogen storage using alcohol ester systems, as well as in the separation and storage of hydrogen produced as an industrial by-product

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On November 30, the China Petroleum and Chemical Industry Federation organized in Shanghai an evaluation meeting for the scientific and technological achievements related to \"Flow-based hydrogen storage using alcohol ester systems (BDO-GBL) and technologies for the separation and storage of hydrogen produced as an industrial byproduct\", work carried out by the team led by Young Researcher Zhu Yifeng from Fudan University and Academician Bao Xinhé. A panel of experts composed of academicians and industry specialists such as He Mingyuan, Xie Zaiku, and Martin carefully listened to the reports presented by the research team and the on-site assessment team responsible for laboratory pilot testing, and conducted in-depth discussions and inquiries regarding technical details, innovative breakthroughs, and application prospects. Scene of the achievement evaluation meeting. The expert group unanimously concluded that this achievement is original and represents an international leading level, achieving innovative breakthroughs in various aspects such as hydrogen storage systems, catalyst development, process innovation, and system integration: firstly, it introduces a novel alcohol ester-based hydrogen storage system. We were the first to develop a novel reversible hydrogen storage system based on 1,4-butanediol (BDO) and γ-butyrolactone (GBL). We successfully developed a series of high-performance copper-based metal catalysts, enabling efficient hydrogenation and dehydrogenation cycles within the same mild temperature range of 160–170°C. This breakthrough overcame two key bottlenecks that have long plagued liquid organic hydrogen storage technology: its reliance on precious metals and the requirement for high operating temperatures. Second, it pioneered a new concept and process for liquid-flow hydrogen storage. Through intelligent control of the system, flexible switching between hydrogen storage and release modes within a single device is achieved, converting the intermittent hydrogen production from renewable energy sources into a continuous supply of stable, high-purity hydrogen. This serves as an efficient \"system buffer\" for the large-scale utilization of green electricity. Third, one-step separation and storage of hydrogen produced as an industrial byproduct have been achieved. A \"reverse-phase\" copper-based catalyst resistant to high concentrations of impurities such as CO and CO2 has been developed. This catalyst can be used to process complex industrial by-product hydrogen directly, enabling the efficient and selective storage of H2 from crude hydrogen within BDO molecules. It eliminates the need for traditional multi-step separation and purification processes, and allows for both hydrogen separation and chemical storage to be carried out simultaneously. This approach overturns the conventional \"separate first, then store\" model, providing a new platform for the utilization of by-product hydrogen resources as well as for the development of infrastructure for hydrogen storage and transportation. This achievement has completed pilot-scale testing in single-tube setups, passed the 72-hour continuous operation test organized by Sinopec, and achieved more than 2,000 hours of long-term stable operation. The pilot test achieved the desired objectives, yielding key data such as process operation parameters and catalyst performance. The hydrogen storage cycle of GBL-BDO has a selectivity as high as 99.9%, and when processing typical industrial by-product hydrogen, the one-way conversion rate of hydrogen reaches 94%. It is worth noting that this technical approach will integrate seamlessly with China’s strong foundation in the BDO chemical industry. Our country is the world’s largest producer of BDO, boasting sufficient production capacity and a complete industrial chain. Using BDO innovatively as a \"hydrogen carrier\" not only provides a stable and cost-effective material foundation for the large-scale adoption of this technology, but also opens up entirely new high-end application markets for the traditional BDO industry, which is facing capacity adjustments, thereby achieving a win-win situation through technological advancement and industrial transformation. The expert panel of the evaluation committee unanimously agreed that this achievement features an original concept, advanced technology, and cutting-edge indicators; it has the potential to evolve into a hydrogen storage and transportation system with Chinese characteristics that is both advanced and practical. It holds great promise for applications in hydrogen energy storage, the recovery and utilization of hydrogen produced as a by-product in industry, and the reform of traditional chemical manufacturing processes, and will provide crucial support for China in establishing an independent and self-sufficient hydrogen energy industry ecosystem. Academician Xie Zaiku, Chief Engineer of Sinopec, pointed out that \"this achievement can not only effectively support the large-scale integration of variable renewable energy sources and enhance the flexibility of power grids\" ； It is also capable of transforming industrial by-product hydrogen resources available across the country into high-value clean energy, while driving the green transformation of traditional chemical industry chains. It provides crucial technological support and viable Chinese solutions from multiple perspectives for building an independent, controllable, safe, and efficient hydrogen energy industry system in our country. ”It is understood that the research work behind this achievement received strong support from multiple scientific and technological programs, including the **National Natural Science Foundation of China’s Excellent Young Scientists Program (Overseas) and General Program**, the key special project on “Catalysis Science” under the National Key Research and Development Program, the Qimingxing Project under Shanghai’s “Science and Technology Innovation Action Plan”, as well as startup funding provided by Fudan University. All these have provided a solid foundation for technological innovation and the commercialization of research results. To date, the team has filed 12 patent applications (with 2 granted), published 6 research papers in journals such as Nature Energy, and established a comprehensive portfolio of independent intellectual property rights, attracting widespread attention from the academic and industrial communities both at home and abroad.