Preparation, characterization and hydrogen storage studies of carbon nanotubes and their composites: A review

Abstract

Current challenge for researchers worldwide is to construct a reliable, efficient, and affordable medium that can store hydrogen reversibly at ambient temperature and pressure for on-board applications. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and their composites are considered as leading source of solid-state reversible hydrogen storage medium owing to its unique characteristics including high surface area, nanoporous structure, tuneable properties, low mass density, cage like structure, chemical stability, dissociation of hydrogen molecule, and easy synthesis method. Nanocrystalline metal or metal oxide or hydride is doped/embedded into pristine CNTs via in-situ reduction, wetness impregnation, high-energy ball milling and sputtering method. Characterization techniques of pristine and composites are utilized to study morphological, thermal, qualitative, quantative, and elemental analysis. Nanocomposite hydrogen uptake capacity is frequently measured by volumetric and gravimetric methods. Multifold enhancement of hydrogen storage of composites compared to pristine CNTs is attributed to activation, acidification, purification, ball milling and spillover of physisorbed hydrogen by metal catalyst onto CNTs via spillover mechanism. Hydrogen uptake of CNTs and composites follow monotonous dependence on hydrogen pressure. Composites not only present high hydrogen uptake as compared to pristine CNTs but also shows significant cyclic stability upon successive adsorption–desorption cycles.