Study on the adsorption and diffusion behavior of natural hydrogen in olivine and serpentine
Author Identifier (ORCID)
Abstract
Peridotite accounts for more than 80% of the upper mantle rocks, and serpentinization of peridotite is the main way of producing natural hydrogen. The adsorption and pore-scale molecular diffusion of natural hydrogen in peridotite is one of the key factors controlling its local retention, enrichment, and occurrence. In this study, olivine and serpentine are selected as the main reactive minerals. A series of techniques, including X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) spectroscopy, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) measurement, high temperature and high pressure hydrogen adsorption tests, Grand Canonical Monte Carlo (GCMC) simulation, and molecular dynamics (MD) simulation are used to study the adsorption and diffusion behavior of hydrogen in peridotite slit pores. The mass density distribution, excess adsorption, diffusion coefficient, and gas-solid interaction energy of hydrogen were systematically analyzed under varying temperature, pressure, burial depth, pore size, and mineral surface conditions. The findings suggest that hydrogen is better adsorbed and less diffusive at minerals with low temperature, high pressure, and small pore size; the adsorption capacity of hydrogen increases with increasing burial depth. On a mass basis and under identical temperature-pressure conditions, serpentine with similar particle size exhibits a hydrogen adsorption capacity approximately 17.7 times higher than that of olivine, whereas under identical pore-size conditions, the adsorption capacity of serpentine pores is about 1.135 times that of olivine. These results suggest that mineralogical transformation and pore-scale properties associated with serpentinization may contribute to the retention and enrichment of hydrogen within peridotite bedrock. This study supplements current understanding of hydrogen adsorption and diffusion processes in peridotite reservoirs and provides a theoretical basis for recognizing adsorption-controlled natural hydrogen accumulation.
Keywords
adsorption, diffusion, natural hydrogen, olivine, serpentine
Document Type
Journal Article
Date of Publication
7-1-2026
Article Number
155919
ISSN
03603199
Volume
247
Publication Title
International Journal of Hydrogen Energy
Publisher
Elsevier
School
School of Engineering
Funding Information
We would like to express appreciation to the following financial support: the 2025 Postdoctoral Innovative Talent Support Program, “Study on the Mechanism of Spontaneous Fracturing and Permeability Enhancement in Peridotite Induced by Hydrogen-Generating Reactions”(Grant No. BX20250029); the Xinjiang Science and Technology Frontier Talent Support Program, “Natural Hydrogen Accumulation Mechanisms and Key Technologies for Exploration and Development” (Grant No.XJRC-2025-KJ-KJQY-003); the Natural Science Foundation of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, “Natural Hydrogen Generation and Migration Mechanisms in Peridotite under Spontaneous Fracturing” (Grant No. 2025D01B202) and the Karamay City Innovation Environment Construction Project, “Study on the Enrichment Mechanism of Natural Hydrogen in Peridotite under Adsorption-Dissolution-Trapping Phase Evolution” (Grant No. 2026DB0054).
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Content Type
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Recommended Citation
Zhou, R., Yuan, Y., Dai, J., Tian, S., Mu, Z., & Li, G. (2026). Study on the adsorption and diffusion behavior of natural hydrogen in olivine and serpentine. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 247, Article 155919. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2026.155919