Nanostructured, complex hydride systems for hydrogen generation

Robert A. Varin; Amirreza Shirani Bidabadi; Robert A. Varin; Amirreza Shirani Bidabadi

doi:10.3934/energy.2015.1.121

AIMS Energy

2015, Volume 3, Issue 1: 121-143. doi: 10.3934/energy.2015.1.121

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Nanostructured, complex hydride systems for hydrogen generation

Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering, University of Waterloo, 200 University Ave. W., Waterloo, Ontario, Canada N2L 3G1

Received: 17 December 2014 Accepted: 09 February 2015 Published: 27 February 2015

Complex hydride systems for hydrogen (H₂) generation for supplying fuel cells are being reviewed. In the first group, the hydride systems that are capable of generating H₂ through a mechanical dehydrogenation phenomenon at the ambient temperature are discussed. There are few quite diverse systems in this group such as lithium alanate (LiAlH₄) with the following additives: nanoiron (n-Fe), lithium amide (LiNH₂) (a hydride/hydride system) and manganese chloride MnCl₂ (a hydride/halide system). Another hydride/hydride system consists of lithium amide (LiNH₂) and magnesium hydride (MgH₂), and finally, there is a LiBH₄-FeCl₂ (hydride/halide) system. These hydride systems are capable of releasing from ~4 to 7 wt.% H₂at the ambient temperature during a reasonably short duration of ball milling. The second group encompasses systems that generate H₂ at slightly elevated temperature (up to 100 °C). In this group lithium alanate (LiAlH₄) ball milled with the nano-Fe and nano-TiN/TiC/ZrC additives is a prominent system that can relatively quickly generate up to 7 wt.% H₂ at 100 °C. The other hydride is manganese borohydride (Mn(BH₄)₂) obtained by mechano-chemical activation synthesis (MCAS). In a ball milled (2LiBH₄ + MnCl₂) nanocomposite, Mn(BH₄)₂co-existing with LiCl can desorb ~4.5 wt.% H₂ at 100 °C within a reasonable duration of dehydrogenation. Practical application aspects of hydride systems for H₂generation/storage are also briefly discussed.
- hydrogen generation,
- mechano-chemical activation synthesis,
- mechanical dehydrogenation,
- thermal dehydrogenation
Citation: Robert A. Varin, Amirreza Shirani Bidabadi. Nanostructured, complex hydride systems for hydrogen generation[J]. AIMS Energy, 2015, 3(1): 121-143. doi: 10.3934/energy.2015.1.121

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Abstract

Complex hydride systems for hydrogen (H₂) generation for supplying fuel cells are being reviewed. In the first group, the hydride systems that are capable of generating H₂ through a mechanical dehydrogenation phenomenon at the ambient temperature are discussed. There are few quite diverse systems in this group such as lithium alanate (LiAlH₄) with the following additives: nanoiron (n-Fe), lithium amide (LiNH₂) (a hydride/hydride system) and manganese chloride MnCl₂ (a hydride/halide system). Another hydride/hydride system consists of lithium amide (LiNH₂) and magnesium hydride (MgH₂), and finally, there is a LiBH₄-FeCl₂ (hydride/halide) system. These hydride systems are capable of releasing from ~4 to 7 wt.% H₂at the ambient temperature during a reasonably short duration of ball milling. The second group encompasses systems that generate H₂ at slightly elevated temperature (up to 100 °C). In this group lithium alanate (LiAlH₄) ball milled with the nano-Fe and nano-TiN/TiC/ZrC additives is a prominent system that can relatively quickly generate up to 7 wt.% H₂ at 100 °C. The other hydride is manganese borohydride (Mn(BH₄)₂) obtained by mechano-chemical activation synthesis (MCAS). In a ball milled (2LiBH₄ + MnCl₂) nanocomposite, Mn(BH₄)₂co-existing with LiCl can desorb ~4.5 wt.% H₂ at 100 °C within a reasonable duration of dehydrogenation. Practical application aspects of hydride systems for H₂generation/storage are also briefly discussed.

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