Improving hydrogen storage properties of MgH_2 by addition of alkali hydroxides

摘要

In this study, alkali hydroxides (NaOH, IiOH, KOH) were attempted as new-type catalytic additives to improve the hydrogen storage properties of MgH_2 by ball milling. It is shown that the additives readily react with the MgH_2 to form perovskite-structured NaMgH_3 and KMgH_3, but not the LiMgH_3. Although the in-situ formed perovskite hydrides remain stable during hydriding/dehydriding cycles, both NaMgH_3 and KMgH_3 show predominant catalytic role on the hydriding and dehydriding of MgH_2. In contrast, the LiOH modified MgH_2 presents much inferior sorption kinetics because of the absence of LiMgH_3. The catalytic mechanism of perovskite hydrides can be explained by the high hydrogen mobility in the perovskite structure. This study shows that such cheap hydroxides could be used as efficient catalysts to improve the hydrogen storage properties of high-capacity metal hydrides and complex hydrides.