Storage stability in the liquid organic hydrogen carrier system benzyltoluene/perhydro benzyltoluene
Henseler J, Geißelbrecht M, Tippkötter N, Wasserscheid P (2026)
Publication Type: Journal article
Publication year: 2026
Journal
Book Volume: 226
Article Number: 154460
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijhydene.2026.154460
Abstract
Liquid organic hydrogen carriers (LOHCs) offer a promising option for hydrogen logistics, as they use the existing distribution system for liquid energy carriers to transport hydrogen in chemically bound form. Compared to other technologies, LOHC systems are most competitive when hydrogen needs to be stored for extended periods of time or transported over longer distances. This means that the LOHC material spends most of its time in storage tanks or transport containers, while the time share under hydrogenation/dehydrogenation conditions is comparatively short. Although there are numerous studies that have investigated the stability of LOHC compounds under the conditions of catalytic hydrogenation/dehydrogenation reactions, there has been a lack of detailed investigations into the storage stability of these hydrogen storage compounds. With this article, we aim to close this gap for the specific example of the LOHC system benzyltoluene (H0-BT)/perhydro benzyltoluene (H12-BT), which has attracted considerable industrial interest in recent years. Specifically, we investigate the stability of this system against oxidation in the presence of air and determine the most relevant oxidation products. It turns out that H0-BT is more susceptible to oxidation than H12-BT. Low temperatures reduce the likelihood of oxidation upon contact with air while the presence of sunlight enhances the formation of oxidation products. Replacing air contact with a nitrogen atmosphere prevents any alteration of the stored LOHC material, even at elevated storage temperatures. All oxidation products from storage in air can be regenerated in the subsequent hydrogenation process, with these impurities having only a minor impact on the performance of the hydrogenation catalyst.
Involved external institutions
Forschungszentrum Jülich / Research Centre Jülich (FZJ)
Germany (DE)
Fachhochschule Aachen - Aachen University of Applied Sciences
Germany (DE)
Germany (DE)
Fachhochschule Aachen - Aachen University of Applied Sciences
Germany (DE)
How to cite
APA:
Henseler, J., Geißelbrecht, M., Tippkötter, N., & Wasserscheid, P. (2026). Storage stability in the liquid organic hydrogen carrier system benzyltoluene/perhydro benzyltoluene. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 226. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2026.154460
MLA:
Henseler, Julian, et al. "Storage stability in the liquid organic hydrogen carrier system benzyltoluene/perhydro benzyltoluene." International Journal of Hydrogen Energy 226 (2026).
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