I have been musing lately and connecting a few hypothetical dots together.
In particular, I wonder if there could be a lot more to the interest in hydrogen storage possibilities for halloysite nanotubes; the extent of research and testing that may currently be taking place in Australia behind the scenes, and potential resulting commercial partnership opportunities for ADN.
As we already know, a cursory Google search reveals numerous journal articles and the like regarding the “perfect candidates” of HNTs for hydrogen storage arising from their “exceptional physical and chemical properties”, for example:
https://www.nature.com/articles/srep12429The CSIRO National Hydrogen Roadmap from November 2019 specifically refers, for example, to the examination of nanotubes for hydrogen storage under the emerging technologies table 36 at page 71:
https://www.csiro.au/~/media/Do-Business/Files/Futures/18-00314_EN_NationalHydrogenRoadmap_WEB_180823.pdf?la=en&hash=36839EEC2DE1BC38DC738F5AAE7B40895F3E15F4What piqued my interest recently was that
Fortescue Metals Group (FMG) has been and continues to be strident in its views regarding and support of the future of the hydrogen industry in Australia. Both Andrew Forrest and CEO Elizabeth Gaines have expressed views about FMG’s aspirations as a world leader in the hydrogen space, for instance Gaines in 2019:
https://www.copyright link/companies/energy/fortescue-ceo-gaines-declares-hydrogen-export-ambitions-20191128-p53evoAnd as recently as April 2020:
https://im-mining.com/2020/04/06/fmg-strengthens-western-australia-hydrogen-ties-atco-agreement/Of greater interest to me is the partnership that has apparently been formed between FMG and the CSIRO on “hydrogen technologies” and to support the “development of new industries”.
To be a little more ADN specific; we also know that there are apparently now well-established ties between ADN and the CSIRO arising from the testing that has been undertaken on Poochera halloysite samples (refer ADN announcement such as that from 12 December 2019: “Halloysite content measurements are a complex time‐consuming process due to the chemical and mineralogical similarities between halloysite and kaolinite, resulting in the long lead time for final results. Andromeda uses the CSIRO, one of the world’s leading experts in halloysite and kaolinite measurement, to complete this analysis. The collaboration between the CSIRO and Andromeda for halloysite measurement analysis has resulted in significant in‐house knowledge and valuable experience being gained.”)
My point is that halloysite’s genuine potential in Australia’s emerging hydrogen technologies drive is yet another facet of ADN’s play where there does not appear to have been a great deal of attention to date; and similarly there may be real scope for seemingly “out of left field” commercial or R & D opportunities arising from the relationships ADN has already formed with relevant third parties.
All pure speculation of course and simply food for thought.
(20min delay)