Low-temperature hydrogen release exceeding 7 wt% from LiBH4-mannitol composites

Among conventional hydrogen storage materials, LiBH 4 has been regarded as one of the best hydrogen transporters due to its relatively large hydrogen capacities. However, because of its extraordinarily high dehydrogenation temperatures, LiBH 4 was not suitable for hydrogen storage due to its stable thermodynamic features. Herein, we present a novel approach to LiBH 4 that uses solid-state multi-hydroxyl mannitol as a reactant, regulating hydrogen release below 69.9 degrees C. More than 7 wt % H 2 could be released with ultra-fast rates at 140 degrees C from the LiBH 4-mannitol composite. XRD, FTIR, and SEM tests revealed that the reaction between mannitol (H delta+ ) and LiBH 4 (H delta- ) to produce hydrogen was accompanied by the generation of large amounts of heat in situ, which further promoted the decomposition of LiBH 4 for hydrogen production, exceeding the theoretical dehydrogenation amount of H delta+- H delta- reaction. This work indicates possibilities for the development of fast and easy high-capacity hydrogen generation systems based on complex hydrides.