I began my PhD after gaining a strong interest in energy storage and green hydrogen whilst completing projects with the Hydrogen Storage Research Group (HSRG) during my Bachelor of Science (Physics) degree at Curtin University.

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Transitioning to renewable energy requires energy storage and export for times or areas where there is high energy demand. Hydrogen is a clean, abundant energy carrier with the highest energy density per mass of known substances. Sodium borohydride is a solid-state hydrogen carrier with a high hydrogen storage capacity by both mass and volume. When added to water, with the aid of an acid or a catalyst, hydrogen gas is released and a by-product is produced. The hydrogen produced can be utilized in fuel cells to generate electricity.

 

This project will focus on recycling sodium borohydride using different metals or metal hydride-reducing agents through ball milling or thermolysis. Additionally, the hydrolysis of sodium borohydride will be used to provide a competitive method of hydrogen compression for hydrogen re-fuelling stations. The main focus is to produce a less energy-intensive and lower-cost pathway for sodium borohydride regeneration, which could make it viable for commercial use as a solid-state hydrogen carrier.

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Selected publications:

• Ibrahim, A., Paskevicius, M., Humphries, T. D. & Buckley, C. E. Producing Alkali Metal Hydrides from Hydroxides. Inorganic Chemistry 63, 3047-3056, doi:10.1021/acs.inorgchem.3c03920 (2024).

• Ibrahim, A., Paskevicius, M. & Buckley, C. Chemical Compression and Transport of Hydrogen using Sodium Borohydride. Sustainable Energy & Fuels 7, doi:10.1039/D2SE01334G (2023).

• Berger, A. et al. Alkali Metal Alkoxyborate Ester Salts; a Contemporary Look at Old Compounds. Dalton Transactions 53, doi:10.1039/D3DT03721E (2024).

• Berger, A., Ibrahim, A., Buckley, C. E. & Paskevicius, M. Divalent closo-monocarborane solvates for solid-state ionic conductors. Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics 25, 5758-5775, doi:10.1039/D2CP05583J (2023).

• Møller, K. T., Ibrahim, A., Buckley, C. E. & Paskevicius, M. Inexpensive thermochemical energy storage utilising additive enhanced limestone. Journal of Materials Chemistry A 8, 9646-9653, doi:10.1039/D0TA03080E (2020).