Enhanced hydrogen storage properties of high-loading nanoconfined LiBH4-Mg(BH4)(2) composites with porous hollow carbon nanospheres

Novel porous hollow carbon nanospheres (HCNS) have been synthesized and utilized as scaffold for LiBH4-Mg(BH4)(2) eutectic borohydride (LMBH). Large loading amounts of LMBH (33, 50 and 67 wt%) have been melt-infiltrated into HCNS, and the significantly improved dehydrogenation properties have been discovered. The LMBH@HCNS composites not only exhibit high actual dehydrogenation amounts and fast hydrogen desorption rates, but also an increased reversible hydrogen storage capacities after three cycles without obvious degradation. Further structural tests have revealed that the over-infiltrated LMBH covering the spherical surface of HCNS could also contribute to the improved hydrogen storage behaviors, due to a strong interfacial adhesion effect that avoid LMBH from aggregation during de/rehydrogenation cycles. (C) 2020 Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.