Towards a full multi-scale understanding of zero-carbon metal fuel combustion

The undeniable climate warming requires alternatives to fossil fuels. This is challenging with renewables like sun and wind that are not available at anytime and anywhere, considering that energy-on-demand is a cornerstone of modern society. So how do you temporarily store that renewable energy? 

Very recently, metal powders came into the spotlight as a new class of very promising high-energy-density fuels that is entirely carbon-free and recyclable.The metal powders can be oxidized to metal oxides while producing heat. These metal oxides can be reduced back to metal powders with green electricity. This cyclic process of oxidation and reduction can be repeated over and over again.

A serious advantage to other renewable energy storage solutions is the fact that the metal powders can be easily transported. As a result metal powders are a promising energy carrier, even called ‘the battery of the future’ by some. Currently the metal fuel combustion research is mainly restricted to ad-hoc practical tests and herein lies a virgin field of fundamental research with huge potential for practical application.

The EU-funded MetalFuel project will combine experimental and theoretical methods to tackle the fundamental principles behind the combustion of metal powders. For future applications in this new field of energy carriers it is essential to build up a sound scientific knowledge and this is where the MetalFuel project comes into play.