skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Understanding Hydrogenation Chemistry at MgB2 Reactive Edges from Ab Initio Molecular Dynamics

Journal Article · · ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces
ORCiD logo [1]; ORCiD logo [2]; ORCiD logo [2]; ORCiD logo [1]; ORCiD logo [1]; ORCiD logo [1]; ORCiD logo [1]; ORCiD logo [2]; ORCiD logo [1]; ORCiD logo [1]; ORCiD logo [1]
  1. Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
  2. Sandia National Lab. (SNL-CA), Livermore, CA (United States)

Solid-state hydrogen storage materials often operate via transient, multistep chemical reactions at complex interfaces that are difficult to capture. Here, we use direct ab initio molecular dynamics simulations at accelerated temperatures and hydrogen pressures to probe the hydrogenation chemistry of the candidate material MgB2 without a priori assumption of reaction pathways. Focusing on highly reactive ($$10\overline{1}0$$) edge planes where initial hydrogen attack is likely to occur, we track mechanistic steps toward the formation of hydrogen-saturated BH4 units and key chemical intermediates, involving H2 dissociation, generation of functionalities and molecular complexes containing BH2 and BH3 motifs, and B–B bond breaking. Further, the genesis of higher-order boron clustering is also observed. Different charge states and chemical environments at the B-rich and Mg-rich edge planes are found to produce different chemical pathways and preferred speciation, with implications for overall hydrogenation kinetics. The reaction processes rely on B–H bond polarization and fluctuations between ionic and covalent character, which are critically enabled by the presence of Mg2+ cations in the nearby interphase region. Our results provide guidance for devising kinetic improvement strategies for MgB2-based hydrogen storage materials, while also providing a template for exploring chemical pathways in other solid-state energy storage reactions.

Research Organization:
Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Sandia National Lab. (SNL-CA), Livermore, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA); USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE)
Grant/Contract Number:
AC52-07NA27344; NA0003525
OSTI ID:
1880957
Report Number(s):
LLNL-JRNL-829744; 1045742; TRN: US2307791
Journal Information:
ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces, Vol. 14, Issue 18; ISSN 1944-8244
Publisher:
American Chemical Society (ACS)Copyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

References (45)

Metal hydride materials for solid hydrogen storage: A review☆ journal June 2007
Generalized Gradient Approximation Made Simple journal October 1996
Reversibility and Improved Hydrogen Release of Magnesium Borohydride journal February 2010
Structure of unsolvated magnesium borohydride Mg(BH 4 ) 2 journal July 2007
Thermodynamic stability of transition metals on the Mg-terminated MgB 2 (0001) surface and their effects on hydrogen dissociation and diffusion journal April 2015
Review on modeling of the anode solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) for lithium-ion batteries journal March 2018
Synthesis and properties of magnesium tetrahydroborate, Mg(BH4)2 journal January 2007
Vaporization thermodynamics of MgB2 and MgB4 journal April 2002
Efficiency of ab-initio total energy calculations for metals and semiconductors using a plane-wave basis set journal July 1996
Formation of [BH3]2- and [B2H6]2- From the Homogeneous Reduction of B2H6 journal December 1994
A Density Functional Study of α-Mg(BH 4 ) 2 journal August 2008
In situ synchrotron diffraction studies of phase transitions and thermal decomposition of Mg(BH4)2 and Ca(BH4)2 journal January 2007
The influence of LiH and TiH2 on hydrogen storage in MgB2 II. XPS study of surface and near-surface phenomena journal January 2022
Nanoscale Mg–B via Surfactant Ball Milling of MgB 2 : Morphology, Composition, and Improved Hydrogen Storage Properties journal September 2020
The influence of LiH and TiH2 on hydrogen storage in MgB2 I: Promotion of bulk hydrogenation at reduced temperature journal January 2022
Challenges and design strategies for high performance aqueous zinc ion batteries journal November 2021
From ultrasoft pseudopotentials to the projector augmented-wave method journal January 1999
Investigating possible kinetic limitations to MgB2 hydrogenation journal November 2019
Recent progress in magnesium borohydride Mg(BH4)2: Fundamentals and applications for energy storage journal August 2016
Ab initio molecular-dynamics simulation of the liquid-metal–amorphous-semiconductor transition in germanium journal May 1994
Synthesis of amorphous Mg(BH4)2 from MgB2 and H2 at room temperature journal October 2010
First-Principles Prediction of Thermodynamically Reversible Hydrogen Storage Reactions in the Li-Mg-Ca-B-H System journal January 2009
Kinetic Enhancement of Direct Hydrogenation of MgB 2 to Mg(BH 4 ) 2 upon Mechanical Milling with THF, MgH 2 , and/or Mg journal March 2019
A review on the current progress of metal hydrides material for solid-state hydrogen storage applications journal July 2016
Magnesium borohydride as a hydrogen storage material: Properties and dehydrogenation pathway of unsolvated Mg(BH4)2 journal January 2009
Facile synthesis and regeneration of Mg(BH 4 ) 2 by high energy reactive ball milling of MgB 2 journal January 2013
A Mechanistic Analysis of Phase Evolution and Hydrogen Storage Behavior in Nanocrystalline Mg(BH 4 ) 2 within Reduced Graphene Oxide journal January 2020
The kinetics of lightweight solid-state hydrogen storage materials: A review journal August 2016
Hydrogen energy, economy and storage: Review and recommendation journal June 2019
A Perspective toward Practical Lithium–Sulfur Batteries journal June 2020
The structure, thermal properties and phase transformations of the cubic polymorph of magnesium tetrahydroborate journal January 2012
Metal borohydrides and derivatives – synthesis, structure and properties journal January 2017
Ab initiomolecular dynamics for liquid metals journal January 1993
Elucidating the mechanism of MgB 2 initial hydrogenation via a combined experimental–theoretical study journal January 2017
In-Situ X-ray Diffraction Study of γ-Mg(BH 4 ) 2 Decomposition journal July 2012
NMR Confirmation for Formation of [B 12 H 12 ] 2- Complexes during Hydrogen Desorption from Metal Borohydrides journal March 2008
Mg rechargeable batteries: an on-going challenge journal January 2013
Covalent Bonding: The Fundamental Role of the Kinetic Energy journal July 2013
First Principle Study of Hydrogenation of MgB2: An Important Step Toward Reversible Hydrogen Storage in the Coupled LiBH4/MgH2 System journal July 2009
Unexpected kinetic effect of MgB2 in reactive hydride composites containing complex borohydrides journal August 2007
Progress, Challenges, and Opportunities in the Synthesis, Characterization, and Application of Metal-Boride-Derived Two-Dimensional Nanostructures journal April 2021
Metal boranes: Progress and applications journal September 2016
Spontaneous dynamical disordering of borophenes in MgB2 and related metal borides journal November 2021
Electrolyte-Assisted Hydrogen Storage Reactions journal November 2018
Direct hydrogenation of magnesium boride to magnesium borohydride: demonstration of >11 weight percent reversible hydrogenstorage journal January 2010