Catalytic Effect of Multi-Wall Carbon Nanotubes Supported Nickel on Hydrogen Storage Properties of Mg<sub>99</sub>Ni Prepared by Hydriding Combustion Synthesis

Abstract

Multi-wall carbon nanotubes supported nickel (Nano-nickel/MWCNT) is added to the hydriding combustion synthesis (HCS) product of Mg99Ni by mechanical milling to yield a designed composite for improving the hydrogen storage properties of magnesium. It is revealed that there is a synergistic effect of nano-Mg2NiH4 and MWCNT on the hydrogen storage properties of Mg99Ni, which improves the hydrogenation and dehydrogenation performance when compared to adding either nano-Ni or MWCNT alone. The composite requires only 80 s to reach its saturated hydrogen capacity of 6.79mass% at 373K and desorbs 97.2% hydrogen within 1800 s at 543K. The dehydrogenation activation energy of this system is 105 kJmol11, which is much lower than that of as-received MgH2 (153 kJmol11). In addition, the composite preserves stable hydrogen storage capacity and kinetics in the hydrogenation/dehydrogenation cycles at 423K. [doi:10.2320/matertrans.MG201416]