The 449th Shuangqing Forum of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC), themed 'Electrochemical Hydrogen Storage', was successfully held in Beijing from July 28 to 29, 2026. The forum was jointly organized by the NSFC Department of Chemical Sciences, Department of Engineering and Materials Sciences, Department of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, and the Bureau of Planning and Policy, and was hosted by Beihang University. The forum was co-chaired by Academicians Shigang SUN of Xiamen University, Jun CHEN of Nankai University, and Professor Ping CHEN of the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences. The opening ceremony was presided over by Junlin YANG, Executive Deputy Director of the Department of Chemical Sciences.
In his opening address, YANG elaborated on the positioning of the Shuangqing Forum, emphasizing that the forum should remain grounded in the frontiers of basic research while addressing major national strategic needs. He stressed the importance of identifying key fundamental scientific questions and providing forward-looking recommendations for optimizing the funding priorities of the NSFC. Academician SUN then introduced the scientific background, thematic framework, and overall objectives of the forum.
Within the full hydrogen industry chain, comprising the four core segments of production, storage, transportation, and utilization: hydrogen storage technology has long been recognized as a critical bottleneck. Electrochemical hydrogen storage, as a highly interdisciplinary approach to overcoming this bottleneck, holds both frontier research value and practical application potential, and has emerged as a hot spot in global scientific and technological competition. Structured around this central theme, the forum featured four topical sessions: 'Electrochemical Solid-State Hydrogen Storage and Hydride Conductor Materials', 'Electrochemical Liquid-Phase Hydrogen Storage', 'Proton Transport, Nuclear Quantum Tunneling, and Theoretical Computation', and 'Interfacial and Dynamic Process Characterization'. The program included three plenary lectures, three invited talks, and eighteen special presentations. In light of practical industrial demands, the participating experts engaged in in-depth discussions on critical scientific challenges in the development of novel materials, the exploration of new mechanisms, and the advancement of innovative characterization techniques. Based on a comprehensive analysis of the current status and comparative strengths of electrochemical hydrogen storage research in China, the forum also formulated a set of priority research directions for future deployment. The successful convening of this forum is expected to significantly advance fundamental research in the field of electrochemical hydrogen storage, foster interdisciplinary integration across chemistry, materials science, physics, and engineering, further enhance China's international academic influence and overall competitiveness in this domain, and provide robust scientific support for the national hydrogen energy development strategy.
The forum was attended by over 50 distinguished experts and scholars from universities, research institutes, and relevant enterprises across the country, along with staff members from the NSFC. (Text: Khai Chen Tan; Image: NSFC)
Link: 第449期双清论坛“电化学储氢”召开
