A brief review of characterization techniques with different length scales for hydrogen storage materials

Increasing environmental pollution and energy consumption have increased the demand for renewable and clean energy. Hydrogen storage materials have attracted increasing attention owing to the large volumetric density of hydrogen storage and high safety, which are beneficial for large-capacity and long-term energy storage capability. Various characterization approaches with different length scales have been conducted to understand the mechanisms of hydrogen absorption and desorption in these materials. In particular, local characterization techniques have been recently applied to study the surface and nanostructural interface effects of these materials because these features can affect hydrogen storage properties. In this article, we review the application of these characterization techniques in exploring hydrogen storage materials.