The goal of the DRAGON project is to develop a series of integrated systems for hydrogen management, based on the use of metal hydrides. The materials developed within the project for hydrogen purification, compression, storage, and heat exchange will be based on intermetallic compounds and high-entropy alloys. Elemental substitutions and microstructure optimization will be studied to meet the specific requirements of each application. Computational methods such as CALPHAD (CALculation of PHAse Diagrams) and Density Functional Theory (DFT) will guide the selection of chemical substitutions in hydrides, enabling a transition from traditional trial-and-error approaches to a more predictive and efficient design process. The synthesized materials will be characterized in terms of both the thermodynamics and the kinetics of hydrogen absorption. The development of materials will be followed by a technical analysis of various potential applications, based on thermo-fluid dynamic models.

The DRAGON project will introduce the following key innovations in hydrogen management:

1. Identification of highly selective materials for hydrogen purification using hydrides, along with the definition of the most effective regeneration procedures.

2. Development of new stable and low-cost hydrides for hydrogen compression up to 500 bar at temperatures below 120 °C.

3. Development of FeTi-based alloys and high-entropy alloys with optimized microstructure and composition, featuring easy activation and hydrogen storage capacity of up to 2%.

4. Development of hydrides with suitable thermodynamic properties for heat storage.

5. Development of technologies to meet hydrogen management needs in systems operating near room temperature, providing a techno-economic analysis of potential industrial-scale upscaling.

6. Development of five prototypes to demonstrate the applicability of the results achieved.

7. Identification of specific case studies to assess the feasibility of large-scale industrial production.

8. Analysis of the environmental and economic impacts of the developed technologies, accompanied by monitoring of regulatory aspects and social acceptability.

The DRAGON project may contribute to national and international strategies aimed at developing renewable energy sources and hydrogen as a clean energy carrier. The project will enhance the development of energy communities, increase the sustainability of renewable energy storage, reduce dependence on critical raw materials, and improve the safety of hydrogen management technologies. For these reasons, the DRAGON project has the potential to make a significant impact on the national system—not only from a scientific and technological perspective, but also in addressing today’s social and environmental challenges.