J. Mater. Sci. Technol. ›› 2026, Vol. 246: 256-289.DOI: 10.1016/j.jmst.2025.05.037

• Review Article • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Research progress in solid-state hydrogen storage alloys: A review

Kang Chena,b,1, Mei Yi Laua,1, Xinyuan Luob, Jiani Huanga, Liuzhang Ouyangc,*, Xu-Sheng Yanga,*   

  1. aDepartment of Industrial and Systems Engineering, Research Institute for Advanced Manufacturing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China;
    bKey Laboratory of Energy Efficient & Clean Utilization, School of Energy and Power Engineering, Changsha University of Science and Technology, Changsha 410114, China;
    cSchool of Materials Science and Engineering, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Advanced Energy Storage Materials, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510641, China
  • Received:2025-02-13 Revised:2025-05-20 Accepted:2025-05-20 Published:2026-03-01 Online:2025-06-22
  • Contact: *E-mail addresses: meouyang@scut.edu.cn (L. Ouyang), xsyang@polyu.edu.hk (X.-S. Yang).
  • About author:1These authors contributed equally to this work.

Abstract: Promoting the widespread utilization of hydrogen energy, supported by efficient storage and conversion technologies, represents a pivotal strategy for addressing global energy and environmental challenges. Among these technologies, the development of compact, safe, and economically viable hydrogen storage (abbreviated as H-storage) solutions is essential for advancing a hydrogen-based economy. Conventional technologies, such as compressed gaseous hydrogen and cryogenic liquid hydrogen, face limitations including safety concerns, high energy consumption, and significant evaporation losses. In comparison, metal hydride-based storage offers a promising alternative by enabling hydrogen to form stable compounds with metals under moderate conditions, thereby improving safety and hydrogen density (H-density). The review provides a comprehensive analysis of recent advances in the most appealing solid-state hydrogen storage alloys (HSAs), with a focus on their de-/hydrogenation properties and cycling stability. Key materials discussed include V-based body-centered cubic (BCC) HSAs, Mg-based crystalline and amorphous HSAs, and multi-component alloys—either employed as used as standalone H-storage materials or as multifunctional catalysts to improve hydrogen kinetics of Mg-based materials. The review begins by examining synthesis methods for HSAs. Afterwards, the review summarizes and discusses the H-storage properties of the above HSAs, with a particular emphasis on their de-/hydriding kinetics, thermodynamics, and cycling performance. In addition to highlighting the latest advancements of solid-state HSAs in the field of hydrogen energy, the remaining challenges and prospects of the emerging research are also discussed.

Key words: Hydrogen storage alloys, Synthesis, Conventional interstitial HSAs, V-based HSAs, Mg-based HSAs, Amorphous alloys, Multi-component HSAs