The contribution will start with an introduction to the problem of energy storage.
Chemical methods offer the highest energy density for storing energy; they are the most interesting option for high energy and high power applications such as automobiles and for seasonal storage of electric energy from renewables.
For storage of hydrogen or lithium, today´s systems are based on intercalation materials. However, as the energy density shall be improved by a factor of two (H storage materials) or five (battery materials), a paradigm change is necessary in the materials development in order to be able to reach these goals. From the current knowledge, only systems based on the conversion principle offer such high energy densities.
Conversion materials are based on solid state chemical reactions where several reaction partners may be involved depending on whether the material is charged or discharged. The systems undergo a massive reconstruction of their structures, which is different in intercalation based systems. Several successful examples from H storage materials and battery research will be presented and discussed, and current directions of research in these fields will be outlined.

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1. Nanoscale Materials For Hydrogen Storage