Hydrogen Storage Capacity of Carbon-Foams: Grand Canonical Monte Carlo Simulations

Hydrogen storage in the three-dimensional carbon foams is analyzed using classical grand canonical Monte Carlo simulations. The calculated storage capacities of the foams meet the material-based DOE targets and are comparable to the capacities of a bundle of well-separated similar diameter open nanotubes. The pore sizes in the foams are optimized for the best hydrogen uptake. The capacity depends sensitively on the C−H2 interaction potential, and therefore, the results are presented for its “weak” and “strong” choices, to offer the lower and upper bounds for the expected capacities. Furthermore, quantum effects on the effective C−H2 as well as H2−H2 interaction potentials are considered. We find that the quantum effects noticeably change the adsorption properties of foams and must be accounted for even at room temperature.