In-situ neutron imaging of hydrogenous fuels in combustion generated porous carbons under dynamic and steady state pressure conditions

We report results from experiments where we characterize the surface properties of soot particlesinteracting with high-pressure methane. We find considerable differences in behavior of the soot materialbetween static and dynamic pressure conditions that can be explained by multiscale correlations inthe dynamics, from the micro to macro of the porous fractal-like carbon matrix. The measurements werepossible utilizing cold neutron imaging of methane mixed with combustion generated carbon (soot)inside steel cells. The studies were performed under static and dynamic pressure conditions in the range10e90 bar, and are of interest for applications of energy storage of hydrogenous fuels. The very high crosssections for neutrons compared to hard X-ray photons, enabled us to find considerable amounts of nativehydrogen in the soot and to see and quantify the presence of hydrogen atoms in the carbon soot matrixunder different pressure conditions. This work lays the base for more detailed in-situ investigations onthe interaction of porous carbon materials with hydrogen in practical environments for hydrogen andmethane storage