Reversible hydrogen storage in reactive hydride composites under 400 K

Abstract

Abstract Hydrogen storage remains a key challenge for widescale adoption of hydrogen as an energy vector. Lightweight complex hydrides offer high storage densities but suffer from hydrogen release/cyclability above the temperatures required for practical use. Here, we report on discoveries in ternary Reactive Hydride Composites (RHCs). We systematically tuned the LiBH₄ content in the well-established Mg(NH₂)₂ - LiH framework, achieving reversible hydrogen release at temperatures starting below 393 K and a capacity of 3.1 wt%; a decrease of 100 K compared to the Mg(NH₂)₂ - LiH system.This is a crucial step towards the use of complex hydride-based hydrogen carriers for stationary and onboard hydrogen storage applications. We demonstrate a reversible RHC within the utilisation range of low-grade waste heat from a fuel cell, alongside offering insight into the reaction pathways in these RHCs to inform the design of future materials.