A portable power-pack fueled by carbonsilane-based chemical hydrides

Carbonsilanes have recently been demonstrated as new hydrogen storage materials for polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells and have exhibited fast hydrogen-release kinetics, even at room temperature, by methanolysis in the presence of sodium methoxide as a catalyst. By building on prior results, we have developed an efficient hydrogen generator fueled by one of these carbonsilanes, 1,3,5-trisilacyclohexane, in this study. The H2-generator exhibited a hydrogen generation rate up to 1.2 slm as well as fast load-following capability, with the response time of hydrogen production being 20–30 seconds. The as-developed hydrogen generator and 100 We PEMFC have been integrated into a portable power-pack whose capability as an off-grid power source has been tested.