Contents -
Possible Applications
Background of the New Technology
Features
Study Details

Possible Applications
Airplanes, rockets, hydrogen tanks for vehicles, etc.
Background of the New Technology
Composite material (e.g., CFRP) is used in airplanes since it has excellent mechanical strength.
Attempt is made to use the composite material for the liquid hydrogen tank of the airplane.
The attempt is almost impossible since the hydrogen permeability of plastics (organic polymeric material) is high.
A measure having been taken for the high hydrogen permeability is that an aluminum gas barrier layer is stuck onto the plastic layer.
Aluminum is advantageous in that it has good gas barrier property, but is disadvantageous in that the aluminum layer possibly peels off from the composite material at the interface between those layers, and the weight of the aluminum layer is not light.
To commercialize the fuel cell vehicle, it is essential to develop the lightweight hydrogen tanks.
Minimizing of hydrogen gas leakage during the hydrogen transportation is also essential.
Remarkable cost reduction of space transportation is indispensable for space development.
It is a matter of course that the space transportation system of the reusable type is much better than that of the disposable type from a viewpoint of the cost reduction.
To realize the space transportation system of the reusable type, it goes without saying that it is necessary to further reduce the weight of the spacecraft body, particularly the liquid hydrogen tank.
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