International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, Vol.40, No.43, 14916-14924, 2015
Hydrogen storage properties of nanoconfined LiBH4-NaBH4
In this study a eutectic melting composite of 0.62LiBH(4)-0.38NaBH(4) has been infiltrated in two nanoporous resorcinol formaldehyde carbon aerogel scaffolds with similar pore sizes (37 and 38 nm) but different BET surface areas (690 and 2358 m(2)/g) and pore volumes (1.03 and 2.64 mL/g). This investigation clearly shows decreased temperature of hydrogen desorption, and improved cycling stability during hydrogen release and uptake of bulk 0.62LiBH(4)-0.38NaBH(4) when nanoconfined into carbon nanopores. The hydrogen desorption temperature of bulk 0.62LiBH(4)-0.38NaBH(4) is reduced by similar to 107 degrees C with the presence of carbon, although a minor kinetic variation is observed between the two carbon scaffolds. This corresponds to apparent activation energies, E-A, of 139 kJ mol(-1) (bulk) and 116 -118 kJ mol(-1) (with carbon aerogel). Bulk 0.62LiBH(4)-0.38NaBH(4) has poor reversibility during continuous hydrogen release and uptake cycling, maintaining 22% H-2 capacity after four hydrogen desorptions (1.6 wt.% H-2). In contrast, nanoconfinement into the high surface area carbon aerogel scaffold significantly stabilizes the hydrogen storage capacity, maintaining similar to 70% of the initial capacity after four cycles (4.3 wt.% H-2). Copyright (C) 2015, Hydrogen Energy Publications, LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.