Published online by Cambridge University Press: 01 February 2011
Light weight hydrogen storage systems are indeed essential for the on-board automotive vehicular applications. Complex chemical hydrides bearing light elements such as Li, Na, Mg etc. and their catalytic doping with transition metal species are presently being investigated. The Li- modified Mg2FeH6 structure have been thermally characterized using DSC and TGA techniques. It is interesting to notice that the reduction in the decomposition temperature of about 100° C has been unambiguously observed for the Li modified Mg2FeH6. Besides, there is an enhancement in sorption kinetics for the Ti- doped Mg2FeH6. The role of Ti- species on the dehydrogenation and rehdyrogenation properties of NaAlH4 have been explored by heat flow measurements using high pressure differential scanning calorimetry. We have also developed the Li-amide/LiH system by sonicated process and studied their PCT characteristics. A new class of hydrogen storage system Zn(BH4)2 with theoretical hydrogen capacity of 8.4 wt.% have been synthesized and we have determined their gravimetric and volumetric characteristics.