Remarkably improved hydrogen storage properties of NaAlH4 doped with 2D titanium carbide

Abstract

Abstract A 2D Ti3C2 MXene is introduced into NaAlH4 to improve its hydrogen storage properties for the first time. In the presence of Ti3C2, the operating temperatures for hydrogen storage in NaAlH4 are remarkably reduced, and the hydrogenation/dehydrogenation kinetics are significantly enhanced. The onset dehydrogenation temperature of the 7 wt% Ti3C2-containing NaAlH4 sample is reduced to 100 °C, and hydrogen recharging starts at 50 °C. Approximately 4.7 wt% hydrogen is released from the NaAlH4-7 wt% Ti3C2 sample within 100 min at 140 °C, and the dehydrogenated sample absorbs 4.6 wt% hydrogen within 60 min at 120 °C. However, pristine NaAlH4 only absorbs 0.4 wt% hydrogen under identical conditions. Further cycling measurements show significantly improved cycling stability for the Ti3C2-containing NaAlH4; the hydrogenation/dehydrogenation behaviour remains nearly constant after 10 cycles. XRD and XPS analyses reveal that the Ti3C2 reacts with NaAlH4 and is reduced to metallic Ti and Ti3+ species, which are responsible for the lowered operating temperatures and improved dehydrogenation/hydrogenation kinetics.