Africa: A New Class of Metals Could Transform Africa's Clean Energy Economy - Scientists Explain
[The Conversation Africa] For centuries, useful metals have been developed by starting with one core element and adding small amounts of other elements. Steel, for example, is composed primarily of iron; carbon is added in varied amounts to produce different grades of steel. Bronze is made up of copper and tin. These mixtures are known as alloys.
In recent years, Africa has begun to recognize the potential of high-entropy alloys – a novel class of metallic materials that could propel the continent towards a more sustainable and industrialized economy. These alloys are formed by combining several metals in equal or unequal proportions, resulting in materials that are often stronger, more heat and corrosion-resistant, and possess longer lifespans than traditional alloys.
Traditionally, Africa has supplied key metals like manganese, cobalt, and copper, but the continent has received only a fraction of the economic value created through the manufacturing of advanced materials. By shifting focus from raw mineral exports to domestic processing and advanced materials production, Africa can retain a larger share of economic value and promote industrialization, innovation, and sustainable development.
High-entropy alloys represent a significant advancement in this area. They have the potential to revolutionize clean energy technologies, particularly in hydrogen storage applications. Hydrogen is considered a clean energy carrier since its combustion produces low emissions. Global demand for hydrogen was approximately 100 million tonnes in 2024, and this is expected to grow in the coming decades.
The challenge lies in efficiently storing and transporting hydrogen. Traditional methods consume significant space and pose safety risks. However, high-entropy alloys can be designed to absorb more hydrogen with high stability through multiple cycles of absorption and release, and they can operate at near-ambient temperatures and pressures. This makes them promising candidates for hydrogen storage.
The development of high-entropy alloys for hydrogen storage requires a combination of expertise in materials science, chemical engineering, and computational modeling. Researchers can use computational techniques to predict which alloy compositions will produce useful properties, significantly speeding up the identification process and reducing the need for extensive experimental work.
Africa has the necessary raw materials for high-entropy alloys, such as titanium, vanadium, chromium, and manganese, which are mined throughout the continent. However, the continent still lags behind in higher-value mineral processing, facing challenges such as lack of finance, expertise, infrastructure, energy systems, transport networks, and processing capacity.
To leverage the potential of high-entropy alloys for hydrogen storage, African nations should invest in research infrastructure, access to high-performance computing, and foster collaboration between the private sector, government, and academic institutions. This will enable the continent to transform its mining wealth into advanced materials, boosting industrial development and economic benefits.
Written by urgent.news from AllAfrica's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — it may contain errors, so check the original before relying on it.
