Introduction and Prospect of HYDROGENOMICS as Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research on Innovative Areas

Abstract

Hydrogen in materials exhibits a wide range of concentration, high mobility, quantum nature, and superior chemical reactivity. All these features of hydrogen originate from its bonding and size flexibilities; neutral hydrogen (H⁰), covalently bonded hydrogen (H^cov.), proton (H⁺), hydride ion (H⁻), and also their intermediate states. The purpose of this project (“Hydrogenomics”, i.e., hydrogen - omics (academic system)) is to develop a new materials science of hydrogen/hydrides as a guideline to “fully utilize” the diverse functionalities of hydrogen in materials. The project is focusing on the four important functionalities of hydrogen originated from its bonding and size flexibilities; i.e., “High Densification Ability (A01)”, “Interfacial Localizability (A02)”, “Fast Migration Ability (A03)” and “High Activation Ability (A04)”. Then the project merges them to induce unprecedented “higher-order hydrogen functions (synergistic effect between its individual hydrogen functions)” with the support of “Advanced Measurement and Simulation Techniques (A05)”. The current situation of the project is to be explained in this article.