Hydrogen energy is widely regarded as one of the most promising clean energy sources for the future, and activated carbon, as a multifunctional porous material, plays an indispensable role in the hydrogen industry chain, including hydrogen production, purification, storage, and fuel cell applications.
In hydrogen purification, activated carbon exhibits excellent adsorption performance. It can effectively remove trace impurities such as carbon monoxide, sulfides, organic matters, and moisture from hydrogen gas. These impurities are highly toxic to proton exchange membrane fuel cells and may cause irreversible degradation of catalysts and membranes. By using activated carbon purification systems, high-purity hydrogen required for fuel cells can be obtained efficiently, thus ensuring the stability and service life of power generation systems.
For hydrogen storage, activated carbon provides a safe and economical physical storage solution. With ultra-high specific surface area and controllable pore structure, it can adsorb hydrogen molecules under low or moderate pressure. Compared with traditional high-pressure hydrogen storage, activated carbon-based hydrogen storage is safer and more controllable, showing great potential in onboard hydrogen storage and stationary energy storage.
In fuel cell devices, activated carbon is often used as an excellent catalyst support. Its high conductivity and large surface area help disperse noble metal catalysts uniformly, improving catalytic activity and reducing costs. Meanwhile, activated carbon materials are also used in electrode structures to enhance mass transfer and electrical conductivity.
With the rapid development of global hydrogen energy infrastructure and fuel cell vehicles, high-performance activated carbon will continue to be a key supporting material, promoting the large-scale application of clean hydrogen energy systems.
