# US 11,299,036 B2 · Hydrogen storage tank having a nanoporous breather layer > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,299,036 B2 - Document ID: US11299036B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/676,204 - Filed: 2019-11-06 - Published: 2021-05-06 - Granted: 2022-04-12 - Earliest claimed: 2019-11-06 - Assignees: GM Global Technology Operations LLC - Applicants: GM Global Technology Operations LLC - Inventors: Matthew Beckner; James R. Salvador; Anne M. Dailly - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11299036B2 ## CPC - B60K 15/03006: {Gas tanks (B60K15/07 takes precedence)} - B60K 15/035: characterised by venting means - B60K 15/03177: {made of non-metallic material, e.g. plastics, or of a combination of non-metallic and metallic material (B60K15/03006 takes precedence)} - F17C 1/16: constructed of plastics materials {(shaping of plastics B29C)} - F17C 13/002: {for vessels under pressure (F17C13/008 and F17C13/02 - F17C13/12 take precedence)} - B29C 53/582: {comprising reinforcements, e.g. wires, threads} - B60K 2015/03315: {for hydrogen} - B60K 2015/0777: {in-tank reservoirs or baffles integrally manufactured with the fuel Tank} - F17C 2201/0109: with exteriorly curved end-piece - F17C 2201/056: Small (<1 m3) - F17C 2201/058: portable (<30 l) - F17C 2203/0604: Liners - F17C 2203/0619: with two layers - F17C 2203/0663: in form of fibers or filaments - F17C 2203/0673: Polymers - F17C 2203/0675: with details of composition - F17C 2205/0397: on both sides of the pressure vessel - F17C 2209/2154: Winding - F17C 2221/012: Hydrogen - F17C 2223/0123: gaseous, e.g. CNG, GNC - F17C 2223/036: Very high pressure (>80 bar) - F17C 2260/036: Avoiding leaks - F17C 2270/0178: Cars - F17C 2270/0184: Fuel cells - Y02E 60/32: Hydrogen storage - B60K: ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES - F17C: VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES (storing fluids in natural or artificial cavities or chambers in the earth B65G5/00; construction or assembling of bulk storage containers employing civil-engineering techniques E04H7/00; variable-capacity gas-holders F17B; liquefaction or refrigeration machines, plants, or systems F25) - B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00) - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION ## Abstract A storage tank for a gas is provided. The storage tank includes a liner defining an internal compartment; a boss coupled to the liner; an interlayer covering a portion of the boss and the liner, the interlayer being non-pyrolyzed and including an interconnected web and pores having a diameter greater than the diameter of a hydrogen molecule and less than or equal to about 2 nm; and an outer shell including a carbon fiber reinforced composite, the outer shell covering the interlayer, except for an interlayer end that is in contact with the boss, so that the interlayer end defines an interlayer ring that is exposed to an external environment. The storage tank is configured so that when gas diffuses through the liner to the interlayer, the interlayer channels the gas out of the exposed interlayer ring. Methods of fabricating the storage tank are also provided. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A storage tank for a gas, the storage tank comprising: a liner comprising a first end portion, a central body portion, and a second end portion that opposes the first end portion, the liner defining an interior compartment; a boss coupled to the first end portion of the liner; an interlayer disposed about the liner and the boss, such that the interlayer extends from a first interlayer end at an exposed outer surface of the boss, about the central body portion of the liner, and about at least a portion of the second end portion of the liner to a second interlayer end that opposes the first interlayer end; and an outer shell covering substantially all of the interlayer, except for the first interlayer end and the second interlayer end, so that the first interlayer end and the second interlayer end are exposed to an external environment, wherein the storage tank is configured so that when gas diffuses through the liner to the interlayer, the interlayer channels the gas out of the first interlayer end of the interlayer to the external environment. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The storage tank according to claim 1, wherein the liner comprises a polymer having a density that is greater than or equal to about 900 kg/m3 to less than or equal to about 1200 kg/m3. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The storage tank according to claim 2, wherein the polymer comprises a polyamide, polyethylene, ethylene vinyl alcohol, polytetrafluoroethylene, or combinations thereof. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The storage tank according to claim 1, wherein the interlayer comprises an interconnected web comprising pores having an average diameter of greater than or equal to about 500 pm to less than or equal to about 2 nm and a porosity of greater than or equal to about 15% to less than or equal to about 85%. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The storage tank according to claim 4, wherein the interconnected web comprises an interlayer material comprising carbon, silica, a polymer, a metal-organic framework, or combinations thereof. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The storage tank according to claim 5, wherein the interconnected web further comprises a binder. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The storage tank according to claim 6, wherein the binder comprises styrene-butadiene rubber, cellulose, polyvinylpyrrolidone, polyvinylidene fluoride, perfluorobutylethylene, perfluorobutyl vinyl ether, trifluoroethylene, hexafluoropropene, hexafluoroisobutylene, pentafluoropropene, polyvinyl alcohol with sulfosuccinic acid, polytetrafluoroethylene, polystyrene polyethylene oxide, a polyamide, polypropylene carbonate, polyethylene carbonate, poly(cyclohexene propylene) carbonate, butylene carbonate, or combinations thereof. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The storage tank according to claim 1, wherein the outer shell comprises a carbon fiber reinforced composite. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The storage tank according to claim 1, wherein the first interlayer end that is exposed to the external environment defines an interlayer ring disposed about the boss, the interlayer ring having a thickness that is greater than or equal to about 0.1 mm to less than or equal to about 2 mm. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The storage tank according to claim 1, further comprising a second boss coupled to the second end portion of the liner, wherein the interlayer extends to the second interlayer end at an exposed outer surface of the second boss and the outer shell does not cover the second interlayer end so that the second interlayer end is exposed to the external environment, wherein the storage tank is configured so that when gas diffuses through the liner to the interlayer, the interlayer channels the gas out of at least one of the first interlayer end or the second interlayer end of the interlayer to the external environment. ### Claim 11 A storage tank for a gas, the storage tank comprising: a liner comprising a polymer and defining an internal compartment; a boss coupled to the liner; an interlayer covering a portion of the boss and the liner, the interlayer comprising an interconnected web comprising carbon, silica, a polymer, a metal-organic framework, or combinations thereof and pores having a diameter greater than the diameter of a hydrogen molecule and less than or equal to about 2 nm, and the interlayer being non-pyrolyzed; and an outer shell comprising a carbon fiber reinforced composite, the outer shell covering the interlayer, except for an interlayer end that is in contact with the boss, so that the interlayer end of the interlayer defines an interlayer ring that is exposed to an external environment, wherein the storage tank is configured so that when gas diffuses through the liner to the interlayer, the interlayer channels the gas out of the exposed interlayer ring. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The storage tank according to claim 11, wherein the interconnected web of the interlayer has a porosity of greater than or equal to about 15% to less than or equal to about 85%. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The storage tank according to claim 11, wherein the interlayer further comprises a binder selected from the group consisting of styrene-butadiene rubber, cellulose, polyvinylpyrrolidone, polyvinylidene fluoride, polypropylene carbonate, polyethylene carbonate, poly(cyclohexene propylene) carbonate, butylene carbonate, and combinations thereof. ### Claim 14 A method of fabricating a storage tank for a gas, the method comprising: coupling a boss to a liner that comprises a polymer and defines an internal compartment; applying an interlayer over the liner and over a portion of the boss, the interlayer being non-pyrolyzed and comprising an interconnected web comprising carbon, silica, a polymer, a metal-organic framework, or combinations thereof and pores having a diameter greater than the diameter of a hydrogen molecule and less than or equal to about 2 nm; and forming an outer shell comprising a carbon fiber reinforced composite on the interlayer, except for an interlayer end that is in contact with the boss, so that the interlayer end defines an interlayer ring that is exposed to an external environment, wherein the storage tank is configured so that when gas diffuses through the liner to the interlayer, the interlayer channels the gas out of the exposed interlayer ring. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method according to claim 14, wherein the coupling the boss to the liner comprises screwing the boss into the liner by way of threading on an inner surface of the boss and complementary threading on an outer surface of the liner. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The method according to claim 14, wherein the interlayer is formed by: forming a mixture comprising a precursor powder and a binder; casting a layer of the mixture onto a substrate; drying the layer to form the interlayer; and optionally calendaring the interlayer. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method according to claim 16, wherein the mixture comprises the precursor powder at a concentration of greater than or equal to about 70 wt. % to less than or equal to about 95 wt. % and the binder at a concentration of greater than or equal to about 5 wt. % to less than or equal to about 30 wt. %. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The method according to claim 16, wherein the precursor powder comprises carbon, silica, a polymer, a metal-organic framework, or combinations thereof and the binder comprises styrene-butadiene rubber, cellulose, polyvinylpyrrolidone, polyvinylidene fluoride, polypropylene carbonate, polyethylene carbonate, poly(cyclohexene propylene) carbonate, butylene carbonate, or combinations thereof. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) The method according to claim 14, further comprising: applying an adhesive to the liner and to the portion of the boss prior to the applying the interlayer. ### Claim 20 (depends on 14) The method according to claim 14, wherein the interlayer comprises an adjunct binder and is in a green form, and the method further comprises, after the forming: heating the storage tank at a temperature greater than or equal to about 90° C. to less than or equal to about 160° C. to remove at least a portion of the adjunct binder from the interlayer in green form to convert the interlayer in green form to a porous interlayer having a relatively higher porosity than the interlayer in green form.