Complex hydrides for hydrogen storage
View Patent ↗A hydrogen storage material and process of forming the material is provided in which complex hydrides are combined under conditions of elevated temperatures and/or elevated temperature and pressure with a titanium metal such as titanium butoxide. The resulting fused product exhibits hydrogen desorption kinetics having a first hydrogen release point which occurs at normal atmospheres and at a temperature between 50° C. and 90° C.
1. A process for forming a hydrogen storage material comprising:
providing a sodium aluminum hydride;
mixing about 0.5%/wt to about 5.0%/wt of titanium to said sodium aluminum hydride; and,
supplying a combination of heat and pressure in the presence of hydrogen gas sufficient to melt said sodium aluminum hydride and titanium mixture, thereby providing a fused hydrogen storage material having a hydrogen release point at normal atmospheres of between about 50° C. to about 90° C.
2. A process of forming a hydrogen storage material comprising:
supplying at least one complex hydride;
mixing with said complex hydride a dopant selected from the group consisting of titanium, zirconium, vanadium, iron, cobalt, nickel, lanthanum, and mixtures thereof;
subjecting said mixture of complex hydride and said dopant under pressure in the presence of hydrogen gas;
raising the temperature of said mixture of said complex hydride and said dopant and said hydrogen gas to a melting point of said complex hydride; and,
maintaining said heat and pressure for a time sufficient to form a fused product, wherein said fused product has a reversible ability to store and release hydrogen.
3. The process according to claim 2 wherein said at least one complex hydride is sodium aluminum hydride.
4. The process according to claim 2 wherein said at least one complexhydride comprises lithium hydride.
5. The process according to claim 2 wherein said at least one complexhydride comprises sodium hydride.
6. The process according to claim 2 wherein said at least one complex hydride comprises a mixture of sodium aluminum hydride, lithium hydride, and sodium hydride.
7. The process according to claim 6 wherein said sodium aluminum hydride, said lithium hydride, and said sodium hydride are present in about equi-molar amounts.