NOVEL CATALYTIC EFFECTS OF FULLERENE FOR LIBH4 HYDROGEN UPTAKE AND RELEASE

Journal Article · Mon Nov 10 04:00:00 EST 2008 · Nanotechnology

OSTI ID:941111

Wellons, M; Ragaiy Zidan, R; Polly Perseth, P

Our recent novel finding, involving a synergistic experiment and first-principles theory, shows that carbon nanostructures can be used as catalysts for hydrogen uptake/release in aluminum based complex metal hydrides (sodium alanate) and also provides an unambiguous understanding of how the catalysts work. Here we show that the same concepts can be applied to boron based complex hydride such as lithium borohydride, LiBH{sub 4}. Taking into account electronegativity and curvature effect a fullerene-LiBH{sub 4} composite demonstrates catalytic properties with not only lowered hydrogen desorption temperatures, but regenerative rehydriding at relatively lower temperature of 350 C. This catalytic effect likely originates from interfering with the charge transfer from Li to the BH4 moiety, resulting in an ionic bond between Li{sup +} and BH{sub 4}{sup -}, and a covalent bond between B and H. Interaction of LiBH{sub 4} with an electronegative substrate such as carbon fullerene affects the ability of Li to donate its charge to BH{sub 4}, consequently weakening the B-H bond and causing hydrogen to desorb at lower temperatures as well as facilitating the absorption of H{sub 2} to reverse the dehydrogenation reaction. Degradation of cycling capacity is observed and is attributed to forming irreversible intermediates or diboranes.

• Research Organization: SRS
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE
• DOE Contract Number: AC09-08SR22470
• OSTI ID: 941111
• Report Number(s): SRNL-STI-2008-00456
• Journal Information: Nanotechnology, Journal Name: Nanotechnology
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

08 HYDROGEN
ABSORPTION
ALUMINIUM
BORON
CAPACITY
CARBON
CATALYSTS
CATALYTIC EFFECTS
DEHYDROGENATION
DESORPTION
ELECTRONEGATIVITY
FULLERENES
HYDRIDES
HYDROGEN
LITHIUM
NANOSTRUCTURES
SODIUM
SUBSTRATES