Fuel Storage Application of Activated Carbon

Abstract

Activated carbon has served various purposes over the years, as a catalyst, a support, and an adsorbent for the removal of pollutants, and currently, it is used as a functional material for energy storage. This is because of its high surface area, low density, tunable porosity, surface functional groups, and conductivity. Herein, we present another important application of activated carbon in fuel storage. The state-of-the-art intricacies and challenges in the development and control of the surface, morphology and porosity of activated carbon are elucidated in this chapter. Also, the renewed interest in the development of activated carbon, matched by intensive research investigations into its application as a storage material for hydrogen, propane, natural gas, and n-butane fuels, is discussed. The mechanisms of activated carbon fuel storage at ambient and cryogenic temperature and in electrochemical processes are investigated. It is hoped that this study will show that activated carbon from abundant biomasses remains a competitive porous material to achieve the transition from the concept of various technologies of environmental protection to a unified energy restoration industry.