Hydrogen and Fuel Cells

Sandia contributes to the science of advanced hydrogen and fuel cell technologies by providing a deep, quantitative understanding and scientific basis for materials interaction with hydrogen and safety. Sandia researches and develops methods to discover materials for hydrogen production, storage and use, evaluating their properties and performance. Sandia has expertise in synthesizing and characterizing ion-containing separators employed in fuel cells and electrolysers, developing materials that demonstrate enhanced properties and durability.

Sandia also provides the technical basis for assessing the safety of hydrogen fuel cell systems and infrastructure and accumulates knowledge used to inform relevant codes and standards. Research activities that include quantitative risk assessment, evaluating the hydrogen compatibility of materials, and characterizing the behavior of hydrogen at high pressure and cryogenic temperatures enable Sandia to offer science-based code improvements to domestic and international committees.

Sandia partners with industry to accelerate the deployment of hydrogen systems to address needs in transportation (i.e., maritime and rail), stationary and portable power.