Understanding the role of nickel on the hydrogen storage capacity of Ni/MCM-41 materials

PAOLA M. CARRARO; ANDRES GARCIA BLANCO; FEDERICO SORIA; GERMAN LENER; KARIM SAPAG; GRISELDA EIMER; MARCOS OLIVA

MICROPOROUS AND MESOPOROUS MATERIALS

ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV

Lugar: Amsterdam; Año: 2016 vol. 231 p. 31 - 39

1387-1811

In this study, we prepared MCM-41 mesoporous materials modified with different Ni contents, as promising materialsfor hydrogen storage. We focused on the role of dispersed nickel as a way of promoting the interaction with hydrogen asan alternative to improve hydrogen storage materials. In addition, the reducibility of Ni/MCM-41 materials was studied,and the hydrogen adsorption in the reduced materials was evaluated, in order to compare the behaviour of reduced andunreduced Ni/MCM-41 materials in hydrogen storage at 77 and 293 K. Hydrogen adsorption isotherms were measuredat 77 K and 293 K, and at low and high-pressure conditions respectively. The results obtained show that the amount ofhydrogen stored was highly enhanced by the dispersion of small amounts of Ni nanoparticles both at 77 and 293 K.Experimental techniques such as TPR, XPS, N2 adsorption-desorption and computational methods (DFT) were usedin order to interpret the results and contribute to the understanding of hydrogen adsorption on Ni/MCM-41 materials.