Enhanced hydrogen desorption properties of LiBH4–Ca(BH4)2 by a synergetic effect of nanoconfinement and catalysis

NbF 5 and eutectic 0.68LiBH 4 –0.32Ca(BH 4 ) 2 were successively infiltrated into highly ordered mesoporous carbon (CMK-3) to obtain a LiBH 4 –Ca(BH 4 ) 2 –NbF 5 @CMK-3 composite. A synergetic effect of nanoconfinement and catalysis on hydrogen desorption properties of the composite was achieved. The onset desorption temperature of LiBH 4 –Ca(BH 4 ) 2 –NbF 5 @CMK-3 is dramatically lower than 120 °C compared with that of as-milled LiBH 4 –Ca(BH 4 ) 2 or LiBH 4 –Ca(BH 4 ) 2 @CMK-3. A hydrogen amount as high as 13.3 wt% can be released within 250 min for LiBH 4 –Ca(BH 4 ) 2 –NbF 5 @CMK-3, compared with only 10.4 wt% for pure LiBH 4 –Ca(BH 4 ) 2 , in which nanoconfinement and catalysis both make some contribution. The cycling hydrogen desorption performance of the composite becomes better likewise due to the addition of NbF 5 . Further microstructure analysis reveals that F − tended to bind with Ca 2+ to form CaF 2 , whereas Nb compound is believed to catalyze the whole system in the form of Nb-based boride (NbB 2 ).