Hydrogen storage properties of nano-structural carbon and metal hydrides composites

Thermodynamic and structural properties of some ball-milled mixtures composed of the hydrogenated nanostructural carbon ((CHx)-H-nano) and metal hydride (MH; M = Li, Na, Mg and Ca) were examined from thermal desoroption mass spectroscopy and powder X-ray diffraction, respectively. The results showed that the hydrogen desorption temperatures are significantly lowered from those of each hydride ((CHx)-H-nano, MH) in the composites. This indicates that a new type of interaction exists between (CHx)-H-nano and MH, which destabilizes C-H and/or M-H bonding as well. Therefore, the above Metal-C-H system would be recognized as a new family of hydrogen storage materials. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.