Graphene Enhanced Composite Hydrogen Tanks for Automotive (REACH-OUT)

The REACH-OUT project is focussed on the challenges of delivering inexpensive hydrogen storage, through utilising novel materials, for the automotive sector. The project will combine the expertise of the world-leading research organisation (Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) with Boeing), with a global industrial partner (Haydale Composite Solutions Ltd (HCS)) with the aim of breaking existing barriers to widespread adoption of hydrogen as a transport fuel in the automotive sector. Barriers to overcome include the use of expensive materials (carbon fibre), slow manufacturing processes, fatigue and embrittlement problems, poor barrier properties and the lack of cost-effective manufacturing facilities. REACH-OUT aims to address these challenges using a combination of novel material solutions, including nanomaterial-enhanced prepreg which give superior performance, and state-of-the-art manufacturing processes which will reduce the time (and cost) of manufacture. Overcoming these key barriers using the technologies developed by HCS and AMRC will help bring forward the widespread introduction of hydrogen as an economically attractive and technically viable energy vector; forming the basis of a clear exploitable business opportunity through the establishment of new materials and manufacturing techniques, within a supply chain that can be exploited on a global basis.