A US company has designed a new hydrogen storage system that could boost fuel cells for use in automotive and portable electronic applications.

Currently, fuel cell use is limited by the amount of hydrogen liquid that can be stored as fuel, but Nanomix said that its new technology manages to ease these restrictions.

"We are pleased with our growing patent portfolio related to hydrogen storage technology," said David Macdonald, president and chief executive of Nanomix.

"These advancements allow hydrogen to be stored at lower pressure and higher density than conventional methods, resulting in safe and effective energy systems.

"We are currently seeking industrial partners for the continued development of hydrogen energy systems based on our patented technologies," he added.

The new patent it has secured refers to the storage of hydrogen using nanostructured materials that allow the fuel to be stored under low pressure without being chemically bound.

It also addresses energy and weight problems associated with hydrogen storage for fuel cells.

Many types of fuel cell rely on platinum as a catalyst for the hydrogen and oxygen reaction that generates energy.

Ÿ Adfero Ltd