The energy arteries of the corporate body of mankind are still fed mainly by fossil fuels; but they are in danger of running dry soon unless new energy sources are made available. One of the most important as well as the most ecologically pure power source is hydrogen, that constitutes the heart of hydrogen power engineering and considered as a future alternative to fossil power sources. The chemistry of carbon nanomaterials and hydrogen materials science will play an important role in hastening the conversion to the Hydrogen Energy System. In this connection, the research and application of materials capable of interacting actively with hydrogen, its accumulating and storing will be of the utmost significance. This is of particular actuality for creation of mobile energy sources both for mobile telephones and for hybrid electric cars that are developed by all large car manufacturers of the world.

The 2003 International Conference "Hydrogen Materials Science and Chemistry of Carbon Nanomaterials" was held in September 2003. In the tradition of the earlier ICHMS conferences, this meeting served as an interdisciplinary forum for the presentation and discussion of the most recent research on transition to hydrogen-based energy systems, technologies for hydrogen production, storage, utilization, materials, energy and environmental problems. The aim of the volume is to provide an overview of the latest scientific results on research and development in the different topics cited above. The representatives from industry, public laboratories, universities and governmental agencies have presented the most recent advances in hydrogen concepts, processes and systems, to evaluate current progress in these areas of investigations and to identify promising research directions for the future.

The 2003 International Conference "Hydrogen Materials Science and Chemistry of Carbon Nanomaterials" was held in September 2003. In the tradition of the earlier ICHMS conferences, this meeting served as an interdisciplinary forum for the presentation and discussion of the most recent research on transition to hydrogen-based energy systems, technologies for hydrogen production, storage, utilization, materials, energy and environmental problems. The aim of the volume is to provide an overview of the latest scientific results on research and development in the different topics cited above. The representatives from industry, public laboratories, universities and governmental agencies have presented the most recent advances in hydrogen concepts, processes and systems, to evaluate current progress in these areas of investigations and to identify promising research directions for the future.