Nanostructuring of Mg-Based Hydrogen Storage Materials:Recent Advances for Promoting Key Applications

With the depletion of fossil fuels and global warming,there is an urgent demand to seek green,low-cost,and high-efficiency energy resources.Hydrogen has been considered as a potential candidate to replace fossil fuels,due to its high gravimetric energy density(142 MJ kg^(-1)),high abundance(H_(2)O),and environmentalfriendliness.However,due to its low volume density,effective and safe hydrogen storage techniques are now becoming the bottleneck for the"hydrogen economy".Under such a circumstance,Mg-based hydrogen storage materials garnered tremendous interests due to their high hydrogen storage capacity(~7.6 wt%for MgH_(2)),low cost,and excellent reversibility.However,the high thermodynamic stability(ΔH=-74.7 kJ mol^(-1)H_(2))and sluggish kinetics result in a relatively high desorption temperature(>300℃),which severely restricts widespread applications of MgH_(2).Nano-structuring has been proven to be an effective strategy that can simultaneously enhance the ab/de-sorption thermodynamic and kinetic properties of MgH_(2),possibly meeting the demand for rapid hydrogen desorption,economic viability,and effective thermal management in practical applications.Herein,the fundamental theories,recent advances,and practical applications of the nanostructured Mg-based hydrogen storage materials are discussed.The synthetic strategies are classified into four categories:free-standing nano-sized Mg/MgH_(2)through electrochemical/vapor-transport/ultrasonic methods,nanostructured Mg-based composites via mechanical milling methods,construction of core-shell nano-structured Mg-based composites by chemical reduction approaches,and multi-dimensional nano-sized Mg-based heterostructure by nanoconfinement strategy.Through applying these strategies,near room temperature ab/de-sorption(<100℃)with considerable high capacity(>6 wt%)has been achieved in nano Mg/MgH_(2)systems.Some perspectives on the future research and development of nanostructured hydrogen storage materials are also provided.

Thermodynamics and kinetics of hydriding and dehydriding reactions in Mg-based hydrogen storage materials

Mg-based materials are one of the most promising hydrogen storage candidates due to their high hydrogen storage capacity,environmental benignity,and high Clarke number characteristics.However,the limited thermodynamics and kinetic properties pose major challenges for their engineering applications.Herein,we review the recent progress in improving their thermodynamics and kinetics,with an emphasis on the models and the influence of various parameters in the calculated models.Subsequently,the impact of alloying,composite,and nanocrystallization on both thermodynamics and dynamics are discussed in detail.In particular,the correlation between various modification strategies and the hydrogen capacity,dehydrogenation enthalpy and temperature,hydriding/dehydriding rates are summarized.In addition,the mechanism of hydrogen storage processes of Mg-based materials is discussed from the aspect of classical kinetic theories and microscope hydrogen transferring behavior.This review concludes with an outlook on the remaining challenge issues and prospects.

Kinetics in Mg-based hydrogen storage materials:Enhancement and mechanism

Mg-based materials have been intensively studied for hydrogen storage applications due to their high energy density up to 2600 Wh/kg or 3700 Wh/L.However,the Mg-based materials with poor kinetics and the necessity for a high temperature to achieve 0.1 MPa hydrogen equilibrium pressure limit the applications in the onboard storage in Fuel cell vehicles(FCVs).Over the past decades,many methods have been applied to improve the hydriding/dehydriding(H/D)kinetics of Mg/MgH 2 by forming amorphous or nanosized particles,adding catalysts and employing external energy field,etc.However,which method is more effective and the intrinsic mechanism they work are widely differing versions.The hydrogenation and dehydrogenation behaviors of Mg-based alloys analyzing by kinetic models is an efficient way to reveal the H/D kinetic mechanism.However,some recently proposed models with physical meaning and simple analysis method are not known intimately by researchers.Therefore,this review focuses on the enhancement method of kinetics in Mg-based hydrogen storage materials and introduces the new kinetic models.

Novel progress in the development of hydrogen storage materials

A new dehydrogenation mechanism for LiBH4, a new hydrogen storage material, has recently been

Improved hydrogen storage kinetics of MgH_(2) using TiFe_(0.92)Mn_(0.04)Co_(0.04) with in-situ generated α-Fe as catalyst

While TiFe alloy has recently attracted attention as the efficient catalyst to enhance de/hydrogenation rates of Mg/MgH_(2),the difficulty of its activation characteristics has hindered further improvement of reaction kinetics.Herein,we report that the TiFe_(0.92)Mn_(0.04)Co_(0.04) catalyst can overcome the abovementioned challenges.The synthesized MgH_(2)-30 wt% TiFe_(0.92)Mn_(0.04)Co_(0.04) can release 4.5 wt%of hydrogen in 16 min at 250℃,three times as fast as MgH_(2).The activation energy of dehydrogenation was as low as 84.6 kJ mol^(-1),which is 46.8%reduced from pure MgH_(2).No clear degradation of reaction rates and hydrogen storage capacity was observed for at least 30 cycles.Structural studies reveal that TiFe_(0.92)Mn_(0.04)Co_(0.04) partially decomposes to in-situ generatedα-Fe particles dispersed on TiFe_(0.92)Mn_(0.04)Co_(0.04).The presence ofα-Fe reduces the formation of an oxide layer on TiFe_(0.92)Mn_(0.04)Co_(0.04),enabling the activation processes.At the same time,the hydrogen incorporation capabilities of TiFe_(0.92)Mn_(0.04)Co_(0.04) can provide more hydrogen diffusion paths,which promote hydrogen dissociation and diffusion.These discoveries demonstrate the advanced nature and importance of combining the in-situ generatedα-Fe with TiFe_(0.92)Mn_(0.04)Co_(0.04).It provides a new strategy for designing highly efficient and stable catalysts for Mg-based hydrogen storage materials.

In situ formation of multiple catalysts for enhancing the hydrogen storage of MgH_(2) by adding porous Ni_(3)ZnC_(0.7)/Ni loaded carbon nanotubes microspheres

MgH_(2) is considered one of the most promising hydrogen storage materials because of its safety,high efficiency,high hydrogen storage quantity and low cost characteristics.But some shortcomings are still existed:high operating temperature and poor hydrogen absorption dynamics,which limit its application.Porous Ni_(3)ZnC_(0.7)/Ni loaded carbon nanotubes microspheres(NZC/Ni@CNT)is prepared by facile filtration and calcination method.Then the different amount of NZC/Ni@CNT(2.5,5.0 and 7.5 wt%)is added to the MgH_(2) by ball milling.Among the three samples with different amount of NZC/Ni@CNT(2.5,5.0 and 7.5 wt%),the MgH_(2)-5 wt%NZC/Ni@CNT composite exhibits the best hydrogen storage performances.After testing,the MgH_(2)-5 wt%NZC/Ni@CNT begins to release hydrogen at around 110℃ and hydrogen absorption capacity reaches 2.34 wt%H_(2) at 80℃ within 60 min.Moreover,the composite can release about 5.36 wt%H_(2) at 300℃.In addition,hydrogen absorption and desorption activation energies of the MgH_(2)-5 wt%NZC/Ni@CNT composite are reduced to 37.28 and 84.22 KJ/mol H_(2),respectively.The in situ generated Mg_(2)NiH_(4)/Mg_(2)Ni can serve as a"hydrogen pump"that plays the main role in providing more activation sites and hydrogen diffusion channels which promotes H_(2) dissociation during hydrogen absorption process.In addition,the evenly dispersed Zn and MgZn2 in Mg and MgH_(2) could provide sites for Mg/MgH_(2) nucleation and hydrogen diffusion channel.This attempt clearly proved that the bimetallic carbide Ni_(3)ZnC_(0.7) is a effective additive for the hydrogen storage performances modification of MgH_(2),and the facile synthesis of the Ni_(3)ZnC_(0.7)/Ni@CNT can provide directions of better designing high performance carbide catalysts for improving MgH_(2).

Facet-dependent catalytic activity of two-dimensional Ti_(3)C_(2)T_(x) MXene on hydrogen storage performance of MgH_(2)

Two-dimensional Ti_(3)C_(2)T_(x) MXenes exposing different active facets are introduced into MgH_(2), and their catalytic effects are systematically investigated in depth through experimental and theoretical approaches. Excluding factors such as interlayer space, surface functional groups and experimental contingency, the exposed facets is considered to be the dominant factor for catalytic activity of Ti_(3)C_(2)T_(x) towards MgH_(2).More exposed edge facets of Ti_(3)C_(2)T_(x) displays higher catalytic activity than that with more exposed basal facets, which also leads to different rate-controlling steps of MgH_(2) in the de/hydrogenation process. The low work function, strong hydrogen affinity and high content of in situ metallic Ti for the edge facet contribute the high catalytic activity. This work will give insights into the structural design of two-dimensional Ti_(3)C_(2)T_(x) MXene used for enhancing the catalytic activity in various fields.

Effect of ternary transition metal sulfide FeNi_(2)S_(4)on hydrogen storage performance of MgH_(2)

Hydrogen storage is a key link in hydrogen economy,where solid-state hydrogen storage is considered as the most promising approach because it can meet the requirement of high density and safety.Thereinto,magnesium-based materials(MgH_(2))are currently deemed as an attractive candidate due to the potentially high hydrogen storage density(7.6 wt%),however,the stable thermodynamics and slow kinetics limit the practical application.In this study,we design a ternary transition metal sulfide FeNi_(2)S_(4)with a hollow balloon structure as a catalyst of MgH_(2)to address the above issues by constructing a MgH_(2)/Mg_(2)NiH_(4)-MgS/Fe system.Notably,the dehydrogenation/hydrogenation of MgH_(2)has been significantly improved due to the synergistic catalysis of active species of Mg_(2)Ni/Mg_(2)NiH_(4),MgS and Fe originated from the MgH_(2)-FeNi_(2)S_(4)composite.The hydrogen absorption capacity of the MgH_(2)-FeNi_(2)S_(4)composite reaches to 4.02 wt%at 373 K for 1 h,a sharp contrast to the milled-MgH_(2)(0.67 wt%).In terms of dehydrogenation process,the initial dehydrogenation temperature of the composite is 80 K lower than that of the milled-MgH_(2),and the dehydrogenation activation energy decreases by 95.7 kJ·mol-1 compared with the milled-MgH_(2)(161.2 kJ·mol^(-1)).This method provides a new strategy for improving the dehydrogenation/hydrogenation performance of the MgH_(2)material.

Mg-based materials for hydrogen storage

Over the last decade’s magnesium and magnesium based compounds have been intensively investigated as potential hydrogen storage as well as thermal energy storage materials due to their abundance and availability as well as their extraordinary high gravimetric and volumetric storage densities.This review work provides a broad overview of the most appealing systems and of their hydrogenation/dehydrogenation properties.Special emphasis is placed on reviewing the efforts made by the scientific community in improving the material’s thermodynamic and kinetic properties while maintaining a high hydrogen storage capacity.

Cycling hydrogen desorption properties and microstructures of MgH_(2)-AlH_(3)-NbF_(5) hydrogen storage materials

Magnesium hydride(MgH_(2)) is a candidate material for hydrogen storage.MgH_(2)-AlH_(3) composite shows superior hydrogen desorption properties than pure MgH_(2).However,this composite still suffers from poor cycling performance.In this work,NbF_(5) was utilized to improve the cycling properties of the MgH_(2)-AlH_(3) composite.Cycling hydrogen desorption studies show that NbF_(5) significantly improves the cycling stability of MgH_(2)-AlH_(3).The MgH_(2)-AlH_(3)-NbF_(5) composite can release about 2.7 wt% of hydrogen at 300℃ for 1 h and the hydrogen desorption capacity can maintain at 2.7 wt% for more than100 cycles.In comparison,the hydrogen desorption capacity of the MgH_(2)-AlH_(3) composite is decreasing with the cycle number increasing.The capacity is reduced from a maximum value of 3.3 wt% to about 1.0 wt% after 40 cycles.Brunauer-Emmett-Teller(BET) surface area measurements show that the particle size of MgH_(2)-AlH_(3) composite decreases after cycling,which means pulverization of the composite.NbF_(5) can to some extent suppress the pulverization of the composite during cycling,which partially contributes to the improvement of the cycling hydrogen desorption properties of the material.

Progress in improving thermodynamics and kinetics of new hydrogen storage materials

Hydrogen storage material has been much developed recently because of its potential for proton exchange membrane （PEM） fuel cell applications. A successful solid-state reversible storage material should meet the requirements of high storage capacity, suitable thermodynamic properties, and fast adsorption and desorption kinetics. Complex hydrides, including boron hydride and alanate, ammonia borane, metal organic frameworks （MOFs）, covalent organic frameworks （COFs） and zeolitic imidazolate frameworks （ZIFs）, are remarkable hydrogen storage materials because of their advantages of high energy density and safety. This feature article focuses mainly on the thermodynamics and kinetics of these hydrogen storage materials in the past few years.

Understanding the dehydrogenation properties of Mg(0001)/MgH_(2)(110)interface from first principles

Magnesium hydride is one of the most promising solid-state hydrogen storage materials for on-board application.Hydrogen desorption from MgH_(2) is accompanied by the formation of the Mg/MgH_(2) interfaces,which may play a key role in the further dehydrogenation process.In this work,first-principles calculations have been used to understand the dehydrogenation properties of the Mg(0001)/MgH_(2)(110) interface.It is found that the Mg(0001)/MgH_(2)(110) interface can weaken the Mg-H bond.The removal energies for hydrogen atoms in the interface zone are significantly lower compared to those of bulk MgH_(2).In terms of H mobility,hydrogen diffusion within the interface as well as into the Mg matrix is considered.The calculated energy barriers reveal that the migration of hydrogen atoms in the interface zone is easier than that in the bulk MgH_(2).Based on the hydrogen removal energies and diffusion barriers,we conclude that the formation of the Mg(0001)/MgH_(2)(110) interface facilitates the dehydrogenation process of magnesium hydride.

Catalytic effect of Ni@rGO on the hydrogen storage properties of MgH2

Uniform-uispersed Ni nanoparticics(NPs)anchored on reduced graphene oxide(Ni@rGO)catalyzed MgH2(MH-Ni@rGO)has been fabricated by mechanical milling.The effects of milling time and Ni loading amount on the hydrogen storage properties of MgH2 have been investigated.The initial hydrogen desorption temperature of MgH2 catalyzed by 10 wt.%Ni4@rGO6 for milling 5 h is significantly decreased from 251℃ to 190℃.The composite can absorb 5.0 wt.%hydrogen in 20 min at 100℃,while it can desorb 6.1 wt.%within 15 min at 300℃.Through the investigation of the phase transformation and dehydrogenation kinetics during hydrogen ab/desorption cycles,we found that the in-situ formed Mg2Ni/Mg2NiH4 exhibited better catalytic effect than Ni.When Ni loading amount is 45 wt.%,the rGO in Ni@rGO catalysts can prevent the reaction of Ni and Mg due to the strong interaction between rGO and Ni NPs.

Tailoring MgH_(2) for hydrogen storage through nanoengineering and catalysis

Hydrogen energy has been recognized as “Ultimate Power Source” in the 21st century, which could be the best solution to the looming energy crisis and climate degeneration in the near future. Due to its high safety, low price, abundant resources and decent hydrogen storage density, magnesium based solid-state hydrogen storage materials are becoming the leading candidate for onboard hydrogen storage. However,the high operation temperature and slow reaction rate of MgH_(2), as a result of the large formation enthalpy and high reaction activation energy,respectively, are the first and most difficult problems we need to face and overcome to realize its industrialization. Herein, a state-of-the-art review on tailoring the stable thermodynamics and sluggish kinetics of hydrogen storage in MgH_(2), particularly through nanoengnieering and catalysis is presented, aiming to provide references and solutions for its promotion and application. Promising methods to overcome the challenges faced by MgH_(2)/Mg, such as bidirectional catalysts and nanoconfinement with in-situ catalysis are compared and the required improvements are discussed to stimulate further discussions and ideas in the rational design of MgH_(2)/Mg systems with ability for hydrogen release/uptake at lower temperatures and cycle stability in the near future.

Microstructure and electrochemical properties of LaNi_(4-x)FeMn_x (x=0-0.8) hydrogen storage alloys

In order to reduce the cost of LaNi5 based hydrogen storage alloys, effect of substitution of Mn for Ni on structural and electrochemical properties of LaNi4-xFeMnx (x=0-0.8) hydrogen storage alloys was studied systematically. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscope (SEM) showed that LaNi5 and La2Ni7 phases were invariably present in all alloy samples, and when x >= 0.4, (Fe, Ni) phase was observed. Electrochemical studies revealed that the discharge capacity reached a maximum value of 306.4 mAh/g when x=0.2 and the cycling stability decreased with the increase of x. With the increase of Mn content, hydrogen diffusion coefficient decreased, whereas high rate discharge-ability (HRD) and exchange current density first increased slowly when x <= 0.2 and then decreased markedly when x=0.8, indicating that electrochemical reaction on the surface of alloy electrodes had strong influence on kinetic property.

Effect of cerium content on microstructure and hydrogen storage performance of Ti_(24)Cr_(17.5)V_(50)Fe_(8.5)Ce_x(x=0-1.0) alloys

Effect of Ce addition on microstructure and hydrogen storage performance of Ti24Cr17.5V50Fe8.5Cex（x=0, 0.5at.%, 0.8at.% and 1.0at.%） alloys was studied by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and P-C-isotherm measurements.The results indicated that Ce addition was a useful way to improve the flatness of the plateau and increase hydrogen storage capacity of Ti24Cr17.5V50Fe8.5 alloy.It was indicated that both homogenization of composition and increase of hydrogen diffusion coefficient were the main reasons for improving the hydrogen storage performance of Ti24Cr17.5V50Fe8.5Cex alloys.

Development of a gaseous and solid-state hybrid system for stationary hydrogen energy storage

Hydrogen can serve as a carrier to store renewable energy in large scale.However,hydrogen storage still remains a challenge in the current stage.It is difficult to meet the technical requirements applying the conventional storage of compressed gaseous hydrogen in high-pressure tanks or the solid-state storage of hydrogen in suitable materials.In the present work,a gaseous and solid-state(G-S)hybrid hydrogen storage system with a low working pressure below 5 MPa for a 10 kW hydrogen energy storage experiment platform is developed and validated.A Ti-Mn type hydrogen storage alloy with an effective hydrogen capacity of 1.7 wt%was prepared for the G-S hybrid hydrogen storage system.The G-S hybrid hydrogen storage tank has a high volumetric hydrogen storage density of 40.07 kg H_(2)m^(-3) and stores hydrogen under pressure below5 MPa.It can readily release enough hydrogen at a temperature as low as-15C when the FC system is not fully activated and hot water is not available.The energy storage efficiency of this G-S hybrid hydrogen storage system is calculated to be 86.4%-95.9%when it is combined with an FC system.This work provides a method on how to design a G-S hydrogen storage system based on practical demands and demonstrates that the G-S hybrid hydrogen storage is a promising method for stationary hydrogen storage application.

Enhancing hydrogen storage performance via optimizing Y and Ni element in magnesium alloy

Magnesium-based hydrogen storage materials are considered as one of the most promising candidates for solid state hydrogen storage due to their advantages of high hydrogen capacity,excellent reversibility and low cost.In this paper,Mg_(91.4)Ni_(7)Y_(1.6) and Mg_(92.8)Ni_(2.4)Y_(4.8) alloys were prepared by melting and ball milling.Their microstructures and phases were characterized by X-ray diffraction,scanning electron microscope and transmission electron microscope,and hydrogen absorbing and desorbing properties were tested by the high pressure gas adsorption apparatus and differential scanning calorimetry(DSC).In order to estimate the activation energy and growth mechanism of alloy hydride,the JMAK,Arrhenius and Kissinger methods were applied for calculation.The hydrogen absorption content of Mg_(92.8)Ni_(2.4)Y_(4.8) alloy reaches 3.84 wt.%within 5 min under 350℃,3 MPa,and the maximum hydrogen capacity of the alloy is 4.89 wt.%in same condition.However,the hydrogen absorption of Mg_(91.4)Ni_(7)Y_(1.6) alloy reaches 5.78 wt.%within 5 min,and the maximum hydrogen absorption of the alloy is 6.44 wt.%at 350℃and 3 MPa.The hydrogenation activation energy of Mg_(94.4)Ni_(7)Y_(1.6) alloy is 25.4 kJ/mol H_(2),and the enthalpy and entropy of hydrogen absorption are-60.6 kJ/mol H_(2) and 105.5 J/K/mol H_(2),separately.The alloy begins to dehydrogenate at 210℃,with the dehydrogenation activation energy of 87.7 kJ/mol H_(2).By altering the addition amount of Ni and Y elements,the 14 H-LPSO phase with smaller size and ternary eutectic areas with high volume fraction are obtained,which provides more phase boundaries and catalysts with better dispersion,and there are a lot of fine particles in the alloy,these structures are beneficial to enhance the hydrogen storage performance of the alloys.

Phase Structure and Electrochemical Properties of RE-Mg Based Composite Hydrogen Storage Alloys

A new type of AB_5-x%LaMg_3(x=2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)composite hydrogen storage alloys were prepared by sintering the powder mixtures of a commercial AB_5 alloy and LaMg_3 alloy. The phase structure and electrochemical characteristics of the composite hydrogen storage alloys were also studied. It is shown that AB_(5)-x%LaMg_3(x=2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)composites have mult; phase structure. The matrix phase has CaCu_5 structure, the second phase is LaNi_3 phase. The maximum discharge capacity, discharge capacity at low temperature and HRD of AB_5 alloy electrodes are greatly improved after the composite. The maximum discharge capacity of the composite electrodes increases from 325 mAh·g^(-1) for x=0 to 358 mAh·g^(-1) for x=5, and the HRD of the composites for x=5 at the current density of 1200 mA·g^(-1)30% of that of the alloy at 60 mA·g^(-1). The discharge capacity of AB_5-x%LaMg_3 composite alloy electrode at 233 K is up to 174 mAh·g^(-1). The improvement of the electrochemical characteristics of the composite electrodes seems to be related with formation of the LaNi_3 second phase.

LiBH4 for hydrogen storage-New perspectives

Hydrogen energy has been recognized as“Ultimate Power Source”in the 21st century.It is a boon in these days of energy crunches and concerns about climate change because of the characterized advantages,such as high energy density,large calorific value,abundant resource,zero pollution,zero carbon emission,storable and renewable.State-of-the-art perspectives on tuning the stable thermodynamics and sluggish kinetics of dehydrogenation and re-hydrogenation of LiBH4,which has been regarded as a promising hydrogen storage alternative for onboard energy carrier applications have been discussed.Five major technological approaches are involved,including nanoengineering,catalyst modification,ions substitution,reactant destabilization and a novel process termed as high-energy ball milling with in-situ aerosol spraying(BMAS).It is worth noting that BMAS has the potential to help overcome the kinetic barriers for thermodynamically favorable systems like LiBH4 t MgH2 mixture and provide thermodynamic driving force to enhance hydrogen release at a lower temperature.