Facile Hydrogen Release on the Composites of Lithium Hydride with Carbonaceous and Polymer Materials

For wider social implementation of hydrogen energy, efficient hydrogen storage persists as a key issue. Although lithium hydride has quite a high class of hydrogen storage capacity (12.7 wt%), its practical application is hindered by high-temperature conditions (>900 degrees C) for hydrogen release. A major reason that high temperatures are necessary for hydrogen release from this material is that the formation of metallic lithium by transferring an electron from hydride (H-) to lithium cation (Li+) is thermodynamically unfavorable. Several reports have described that hydrogen release temperatures can be decreased using additives which might avoid metallic lithium formation. Those works inspired us to develop strategies to find suitable additives for facile hydrogen release from lithium hydride. These strategies are illustrated herein. Successful examples employing carbonaceous materials of graphite and fullerene as well as conjugated hydrocarbon macromolecules as additives are described with detailed hydrogen storage and release properties and reaction mechanisms.