Facile Cycling of Ti-doped LiAlH4 for High Performance Hydrogen Storage
Speaker: Prof. Xiangfeng Liu,
Time: 1:30PM,April 13, 2012
Place: Lecture Hall, Science Building
Abstract
The effective and economical storage of hydrogen is one of the most technically challenging barriers to the widespread commercialization of hydrogen-fueled vehicles. LiAlH4 has a theoretical hydrogen storage capacity of 7.9 wt % and starts to desorb hydrogen close to room temperature in the presence of suitable catalysts, making it a potential hydrogen storage medium for future hydrogen-fueled vehicles. However, the irreversibility of the dehydrogenation reactions of LiAlH4 under practical conditions restricts its application as a suitable hydrogen storage medium. We reported a simple, effective and energy-efficient single-stage rehydrogenation procedure for Ti-doped LiAlH4 under relatively mild conditions, employing the alternative solvent dimethyl ether, Me2O. Using this approach, LiAlH4 can be regenerated at room temperature, and the product can be obtained directly without the need of any extra processing, and with the Ti catalyst homogeneously dispersed throughout. The Ti-doped LiAlH4 thus obtained demonstrates excellent dehydrogenation kinetics, releasing ca. 7.5 wt% hydrogen commencing at 80 ºC, making it an attractive candidate as a high performance hydrogen storage material. In addition, the formation mechanism, cycling performance, and the effects of reaction conditions as well as the microstructure evolution during hydrogenation-dehydrogenation cycles will also be introduced.
References
1. Xiangfeng Liu, G. Sean McGrady, Henrietta W. Langmi, and Craig M. Jensen. J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2009, 131,5032-5033.
2. Xiangfeng Liu, Henrietta W. Langmi, Shane D. Beattie, Felix F. Azenwi, G. Sean McGrady, Craig M. Jensen. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2011, 133, 15593–15597.
