Enhancing hydrogen spillover and storage

1. A method for enhancing hydrogen storage, comprising:

doping a hydrogen receptor with metal particles by:

forming a dispersion including the hydrogen receptor; and

adding a solution including a source of the metal particles to the dispersion including the hydrogen receptor, thereby forming a mixture, wherein the hydrogen receptor is chosen from activated carbons and alumina;

exposing the hydrogen receptor to ultrasonication as doping occurs;

drying the mixture to form a composition;

subjecting the composition to a first gas flow at a first temperature;

subjecting the composition to a second gas flow at a second temperature, the second temperature being higher than the first temperature; and

cooling the composition.

2. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the first gas flow contains helium gas and wherein the second gas flow contains hydrogen gas.

3. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the metal particles are selected from platinum, palladium, ruthenium, rhodium, nickel, copper, iron, and combinations thereof.

4. A method for enhancing hydrogen storage, comprising:

doping a hydrogen receptor with metal particles, wherein the hydrogen receptor is chosen from activated carbons and alumina;

exposing the hydrogen receptor to ultrasonication as doping occurs; and

then exposing the doped hydrogen receptor to a plasma treatment.

5. The method as defined in claim 4 wherein the plasma treatment is selected from glow discharge plasma, microwave plasma, plasma spraying, and combinations thereof.

6. The method as defined in claim 4 , further comprising forming chemical bridges between respective metal particles and a surface of the hydrogen receptor during the plasma treatment.

7. The method as defined in claim 4 wherein the plasma treatment is accomplished for a predetermined time ranging from about 5 minutes to about 60 minutes at a predetermined temperature up to 1000° C.