From Hydrocarbon Feedstock to Recyclable Carbon-Based Automotive Bodies with Positive Hydrogen Output

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Program:
OPEN 2018
Award:
$3,447,862
Location:
Houston, Texas
Status:
ALUMNI
Project Term:
09/20/2019 - 01/12/2024

Technology Description:

Rice University will develop a process to produce low-cost hydrogen at scale and recyclable, lightweight materials to replace metals in automotive applications. The team will convert NG into carbon nanotubes with concurrent production of H2, spin the nanotubes into fibers, and evaluate the fiber properties with the target of displacing metals. The proposed technology could significantly reduce energy consumption and CO2 emissions associated with both H2 and metal production at scale. Furthermore, lightweight and low-cost carbon fibers could provide an alternative to metals in automotive applications, reducing vehicle weight, fuel consumption, and CO2 emissions.

Potential Impact:

Carbon nanotube fibers produced by the process proposed by Rice University could be incorporated into lightweight, recyclable, low-cost thermoplastic composites for automotive applications.

Security:

Converting natural gas directly into high-value materials will maintain U.S. technological leadership in high-performance materials manufacturing.

Environment:

Lowering automotive fuel consumption will reduce CO2 emissions associated with transportation.

Economy:

This technology will convert natural gas to low-cost, fuel-cell grade H2 and higher-value carbon materials that could enable large-scale H2 use in zero carbon energy generation and storage.

Contact

ARPA-E Program Director:
Dr. Jack Lewnard
Project Contact:
Prof. Matteo Pasquali
Press and General Inquiries Email:
ARPA-E-Comms@hq.doe.gov
Project Contact Email:
mp@rice.edu

Partners

National Renewable Energy Laboratory

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Release Date:
12/13/2017