Superior MgH2 Kinetics with MgO Addition: A Tribological Effect
Open Access
- 13 August 2012
- Vol. 2 (3), 330-343
- https://doi.org/10.3390/catal2030330
Abstract
The kinetics of hydrogen absorption/desorption in magnesium can be improved without any catalysis assistance and MgO was found to be more effective than the best catalyst reported so far, i.e., Nb2O5. Herein, a quantitative analysis of the hydrogen kinetics in magnesium modified with MgO was performed in order to identify possible rate controlling mechanisms. While hydrogen absorption was found to be diffusion controlled as commonly reported, hydrogen desorption evolved from nucleation and growth to an interface controlled process depending on the desorption temperature. Comparison with the effect of Nb2O5 indicates that similar rate limiting steps occur regardless of the oxide additive. These findings are reconciled by considering the tribological effect of solid oxide additives, as a correlation between oxides electronegativity and improvement in hydrogen kinetics was found. Such a correlation clearly highlights the mechanical effect of solid oxides in facilitating the grinding and stabilisation of small magnesium particles for efficient and fast hydrogen kinetics.Keywords
This publication has 48 references indexed in Scilit:
- Hydrogen in magnesium: new perspectives toward functional storesEnergy & Environmental Science, 2010
- Nanomaterials for Hydrogen Storage Applications: A ReviewJournal of Nanomaterials, 2008
- Metal hydride materials for solid hydrogen storage: A reviewInternational Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 2007
- MgH2 with Nb2O5 as additive, for hydrogen storage: Chemical, structural and kinetic behavior with heatingActa Materialia, 2006
- Tailoring nanocrystalline materials towards potential applicationsZeitschrift für Metallkunde, 2003
- Mechanically alloyed metal hydride systemsApplied Physics A, 2001
- Structural study and hydrogen sorption kinetics of ball-milled magnesium hydrideJournal of Alloys and Compounds, 1999
- Recent developments in the applications of nanocrystalline materials to hydrogen technologiesMaterials Science and Engineering: A, 1999
- Nanocrystalline magnesium for hydrogen storageJournal of Alloys and Compounds, 1999
- Catalytic Synthesis of Organolithium and Organomagnesium Compounds and of Lithium and Magnesium Hydrides—Applications in Organic Synthesis and Hydrogen StorageAngewandte Chemie, 1985