Generalized Kubas Complexes as a Novel Means for Room Temperature Molecular Hydrogen Storage

Abstract

ABSTRACTWe propose that generalized Kubas complexes of molecular hydrogen with light metal elements, such as B and Be embedded in carbon nanostructures, or related Be and B materials, could offer breakthrough performance in room temperature hydrogen storage. First-principles local-density functional calculations show that hydrogen bound to these materials are intact, in similarity to physisorbed H2, but with a greatly enhanced adsorption energy in the range of 0.2–0.7 eV. The metal-H2 binding is attributed to the Coulombic interaction between holes created at the metal sites and Σ electrons of the H2. Management of the hole density and electron-hole orbital overlap thus enables us to control the binding strength of H2 for optimal storage properties.