Catalytic effects of nitrogen-doped graphene and carbon nanotube additives on hydrogen storage properties of sodium alanate

Abstract

Nitrogen-doped graphene and carbon nanotubes were prepared and employed as additives to NaAlH₄ to facilitate hydrogenation and dehydrogenation reactions. The decomposition behavior of carbon nanomaterial admixed NaAlH₄ was studied by constant temperature desorption, differential scanning calorimetry and in situ FT-IR experiments. Carbon nanomaterials decrease the dehydrogenation temperature of NaAlH₄ and enhance the dehydrogenation kinetics by lowering the activation energy. A reversible hydrogen storage of 1.8 wt% was achieved by the nitrogen-doped carbon nanotube/nitrogen-doped graphene admixed sodium aluminum hydride.