The world’s largest, peer-reviewed journal on the science and technology of composites – Journal of Composites Science, by MDPI, published the latest paper by Faculty of Technology and Technical Sciences, St. Kliment Ohridski University-Bitola, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Korea University, Mikrosam and The Institute for Advanced Composites and Robotics.

Our team conducted all the research with Mikrosam’s filament winding and automated fiber placement machines in the Laboratory for Advanced Composites – the only one of its kind in Southeast Europe and Mikrosam. As a result of several months of work and dedication, the publication “Towpreg—An Advanced Composite Material with a Potential for Pressurized Hydrogen Storage Vessels“, became a solid intellectual basis for the future of hydrogen pressure storage vessels.

Abstract: Hydrogen is one of the critical components to addressing global challenges such as climate change, environmental pollution, and global warming. It is a renewable source of energy that has many advantages compared to other renewables. Even though it may not be a “silver bullet” solution for the polluted world, there is still a big expectation that it can solve some of the energy crises and challenges in the transportation, domestic and industry sectors. This study reviews the latest advancements in materials science, especially in the composite materials used for energy storage/transportation tanks. Special attention is given to towpreg material structures as the most promising ones for hydrogen storage. Various types of storage vessels are reviewed with emphasis on the most advanced type IV and type V vessels for energy (hydrogen) storage. The manufacturing processes, mainly filament winding (FW) and automatic fiber placement (AFP), are reviewed with their pros and cons. The sustainability aspects for the most promising hydrogen technologies, limitations and future challenges are also discussed.

Anka Trajkovska Petkoska, Blagoja Samakoski, Bisera Samardjioska Azmanoska and Viktorija Velkovska

J. Compos. Sci. 2024, 8(9), 374; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcs8090374

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Composite Materials for Energy Management, Storage or Transportation)

This study reviews the novel trends and the latest accomplishments in the science of advanced composite materials intended for energy storage and, more particularly, towpreg materials for high-pressure vessels for fuel storage. Therefore, an overview of towpreg materials will be presented, along with their properties and applications. A discussion of hydrogen as a potential future green fuel and its beneficial properties compared to other energy sources is also covered by the study, as well as its storage. In addition, sustainability aspects and the limitations of hydrogen technology are also presented. We believe that the study could also initiate novel ideas and research to overcome the present challenges and to trace new routes to better utilization of materials and resources—all for better planetary health and human wellbeing.

Read the whole article here.