Antonio Santoru

Structural and kinetic investigation of the hydride composite Ca(BH4)2 + MgH2 system doped with NbF5 for solid-state hydrogen storage

Designing safe, compact and high capacity hydrogen storage systems is the key step towards introducing a pollutant free hydrogen technology into a broad field of applications. Due to the chemical bonds of hydrogen-metal atoms, metal hydrides provide high energy density in safe hydrogen storage media. Reactive hydride composites (RHCs) are a promising class of high capacity solid state hydrogen storage systems. Ca(BH4)2 + MgH2 with a hydrogen content of 8.4 wt% is one of the most promising members of the RHCs. However, its relatively high desorption temperature of ∼350 °C is a major drawback to meeting the requirements for practical application. In this work, by using NbF5 as an additive, the dehydrogenation temperature of this RHC was significantly decreased. To elucidate the role of NbF5 in enhancing the desorption properties of the Ca(BH4)2 + MgH2 (Ca-RHC), a comprehensive investigation was carried out via manometric measurements, mass spectrometry, Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), in situ Synchrotron Radiation-Powder X-ray Diffraction (SR-PXD), X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy (XAS), Anomalous Small-Angle X-ray Scattering (ASAXS), Scanning and Transmission Electron Microscopy (SEM, TEM) and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) techniques.

Ternary Amides Containing Transition Metals for Hydrogen Storage: A Case Study with Alkali Metal Amidozincates

The alkali metal amidozincates Li4 [Zn(NH2)4](NH2)2 and K2[Zn(NH2)4] were, to the best of our knowledge, studied for the first time as hydrogen storage media. Compared with the LiNH2-2 LiH system, both Li4 [Zn(NH2)4](NH2)2-12 LiH and K2[Zn(NH2)4]-8 LiH systems showed improved rehydrogenation performance, especially K2[Zn(NH2)4]-8 LiH, which can be fully hydrogenated within 30 s at approximately 230 °C. The absorption properties are stable upon cycling. This work shows that ternary amides containing transition metals have great potential as hydrogen storage materials.

KNH2–KH: a metal amide–hydride solid solution

We report for the first time the formation of a metal amide-hydride solid solution. The dissolution of KH into KNH2 leads to an anionic substitution, which decreases the interaction among NH2- ions. The rotational properties of the high temperature polymorphs of KNH2 are thereby retained down to room temperature.

A novel catalytic route for hydrogenation–dehydrogenation of 2LiH + MgB2via in situ formed core–shell LixTiO2 nanoparticles

Aiming to improve the hydrogen storage properties of 2LiH + MgB2 (Li-RHC), the effect of TiO2 addition to Li-RHC is investigated. The presence of TiO2 leads to the in situ formation of core–shell LixTiO2 nanoparticles during milling and upon heating. These nanoparticles markedly enhance the hydrogen storage properties of Li-RHC. Throughout hydrogenation–dehydrogenation cycling at 400 °C a 1 mol% TiO2 doped Li-RHC material shows sustainable hydrogen capacity of ∼10 wt% and short hydrogenation and dehydrogenation times of just 25 and 50 minutes, respectively. The in situ formed core–shell LixTiO2 nanoparticles confer proper microstructural refinement to the Li-RHC, thus preventing the materials agglomeration upon cycling. An analysis of the kinetic mechanisms shows that the presence of the core–shell LixTiO2 nanoparticles accelerates the one-dimensional interface-controlled mechanism during hydrogenation owing to the high Li+ mobility through the LixTiO2 lattice. Upon dehydrogenation, the in situ formed core–shell LixTiO2 nanoparticles do not modify the dehydrogenation thermodynamic properties of the Li-RHC itself. A new approach by the combination of two kinetic models evidences that the activation energy of both MgH2 decomposition and MgB2 formation is reduced. These improvements are due to a novel catalytic mechanism via Li+ source/sink reversible reactions.

Transition and Alkali Metal Complex Ternary Amides for Ammonia Synthesis and Decomposition

A new complex ternary amide, Rb2 [Mn(NH2 )4 ], which simultaneously contains both transition and alkali metal catalytic sites, is developed. This is in line with the recently reported TM-LiH composite catalysts, which have been shown to effectively break the scaling relations and achieve ammonia synthesis under mild conditions. Rb2 [Mn(NH2 )4 ] can be facilely synthesized by mechanochemical reaction at room temperature. It exhibits two temperature-dependent polymorphs, that is, a low-temperature orthorhombic and a high-temperature monoclinic structure. Rb2 [Mn(NH2 )4 ] decomposes to N2 , H2 , NH3 , Mn3 N2 , and RbNH2 under inert atmosphere; whereas it releases NH3 at a temperature as low as 80 °C under H2 atmosphere. Those unique behaviors enable Rb2 [Mn(NH2 )4 ], and its analogue K2 [Mn(NH2 )4 ], to be excellent catalytic materials for ammonia decomposition and synthesis. Experimental results show both ammonia decomposition onset temperatures and conversion rates over Rb2 [Mn(NH2 )4 ] and K2 [Mn(NH2 )4 ] are similar to those of noble metal Ru-based catalysts. More importantly, these ternary amides exhibit superior capabilities in catalyzing NH3 synthesis, which are more than 3 orders of magnitude higher than that of Mn nitride and twice of that of Ru/MgO. The in situ SR-PXD measurement shows that manganese nitride, synergistic with Rb/KH or Rb/K(NH2 )x H1-x , are likely the active sites. The chemistry of Rb2 /K2 [Mn(NH2 )x ] and Rb/K(NH2 )x H1-x with H2 /N2 and NH3 correlates closely with the catalytic performance.

Insights into the Rb–Mg–N–H System: an Ordered Mixed Amide/Imide Phase and a Disordered Amide/Hydride Solid Solution

The crystal structure of a mixed amide-imide phase, RbMgND2ND, has been solved in the orthorhombic space group Pnma ( a = 9.55256(31), b = 3.70772(11) and c = 10.08308(32) Å). A new metal amide-hydride solid solution, Rb(NH2) xH(1- x), has been isolated and characterized in the entire compositional range. The profound analogies, as well as the subtle differences, with the crystal chemistry of KMgND2ND and K(NH2) xH1- x are thoroughly discussed. This approach suggests that the comparable performances obtained using K- and Rb-based additives for the Mg(NH2)2- 2LiH and 2LiN H2-MgH2 hydrogen storage systems are likely to depend on the structural similarities of possible reaction products and intermediates.

A hydride composite featuring mutual destabilisation and reversible boron exchange: Ca(BH4)2–Mg2NiH4

The system Ca(BH4)2–Mg2NiH4 is used as a model to prove the unique possibility to fully reverse the borohydride decomposition process even in cases where the decomposition reaction leads to undesired stable boron containing species (boron sinks). The formation of MgNi2.5B2 directly from Ca(BH4)2 or from CaB12H12 and amorphous boron allows an unexpectedly easy transfer of the boron atoms to reversibly form Ca(BH4)2 during rehydrogenation. In addition, to the best of our knowledge, the mutual destabilisation of the starting reactants is observed for the first time in Ca(BH4)2 based Reactive Hydride Composite (RHC) systems. A detailed account of dehydrogenation and rehydrogenation reaction mechanisms as the function of applied experimental conditions is given.