Issue 29, 2016

Formation of CaB6 in the thermal decomposition of the hydrogen storage material Ca(BH4)2

Abstract

Using a combination of high resolution X-ray powder diffraction and X-ray Raman scattering spectroscopy at the B K- and Ca L2,3-edges, we analyzed the reaction products of Ca(BH4)2 after annealing at 350 °C and 400 °C under vacuum conditions. We observed the formation of nanocrystalline/amorphous CaB6 mainly and found only small contributions from amorphous B for annealing times larger than 2 h. For short annealing times of 0.5 h at 400 °C we observed neither CaB12H12 nor CaB6. The results indicate a reaction pathway in which Ca(BH4)2 decomposes to B and CaH2 and finally reacts to form CaB6. These findings confirm the potential of using Ca(BH4)2 as a hydrogen storage medium and imply the desired cycling capabilities for achieving high-density hydrogen storage materials.

Graphical abstract: Formation of CaB6 in the thermal decomposition of the hydrogen storage material Ca(BH4)2

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
14 Apr 2016
Accepted
22 Jun 2016
First published
22 Jun 2016
This article is Open Access
Creative Commons BY license

Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2016,18, 19866-19872

Formation of CaB6 in the thermal decomposition of the hydrogen storage material Ca(BH4)2

C. J. Sahle, C. Sternemann, C. Giacobbe, Y. Yan, C. Weis, M. Harder, Y. Forov, G. Spiekermann, M. Tolan, M. Krisch and A. Remhof, Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2016, 18, 19866 DOI: 10.1039/C6CP02495E

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