What is Powerpaste?

This characteristic makes it difficult to use hydrogen in motorcycles that cannot take on this type of storage tank in their infrastructure. Nor could it be used in other equipment such as smaller drones since this load would be unaffordable. That is why its use seems restricted to certain sectors of the automotive industry.

To solve these types of issues, Power paste emerges as one of the best alternatives . In the form of a liquid paste based on solid magnesium hydride. Mixed with water, it is capable of generating electrical energy from the hydrogen it contains.

Power paste is born from the fruit of the research work of the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Technology and Advanced Materials (IFAM) in Dresden (Germany). Its advantages include how easy it is to handle, transport and store.

The Power paste achieves that the vehicles gain in autonomy surpassing even the vehicles that consume traditional fuel. It has a high energy storage density that far exceeds the capacity of high pressure tanks and multiplies by 10 the capacity of hydrogen batteries.

Ion transport mechanisms and energy storage

One of the main benefits of Power paste is that its operation is quite simple

The operation of the Power paste is very simple. You just have to enter the tank and add water stored in a tank. In this way, the hydrogen necessary to produce the electricity necessary for the vehicle to move is released. Half of this hydrogen is obtained from the water with which it is mixed.

This greatly simplifies refueling since it will not require infrastructure that can supply hydrogen to service stations. You will only need outlets where you can sell the Power paste as it can be presented in compact, cartridge-shaped formats that can be easily handled. It will also be necessary that there is the possibility of refilling the water that is needed during the process.

The most important quality of the Power paste is that it can store hydrogen in a simple way so that it can later be released on demand. The cartridge will release the required amount through a plunger and the water will come from a tank located in the engine. The hydrogen required for a fuel cell will be obtained from the mixture of both substances.

The Power paste will allow smaller vehicles such as motorcycles and scooters to benefit from hydrogen as a fuel. But it can also be applied to all types of vehicles including cars, vans and even trucks. It will certainly be a big step in the hydrogen-based mobility revolution.

It does not decompose up to 250 degrees so it can be transported and used without problems in the most extreme weather conditions. It will also not present problems when the vehicle is parked in full sun and its temperature is high.

Being able to use Powerpaste in hydrogen vehicles is a reality that is much closer than it seems. The Fraunhofer Institute is building a factory to produce Power paste in quantities that can reach up to four tons per year. It is planned to start its activity this year.

In the coming years the Powerpaste will appear on the shelves of many establishments and will help make hydrogen vehicles much more common in our day to day.