LAUSR

Abstract Resorcinol formaldehyde carbon aerogel (RFC)was synthesized in this paper to be used as a scaffold for nanoconfining 2LiBH 4 -LiAlH 4 composite. LiBH 4 and LiAlH 4 were nanoconfined into the pores of the prepared resorcinol formaldehyde carbon aerogel by a two-step melt-infiltration process. The microstructure evolution was investigated by XRD, FTIR analysis, and BET measurements. The hydrogen storage properties were studied by TPD, TG/DSC/MS measurements. The experimental results show that LiBH 4 and LiAlH 4 are well dispersed in the scaffold after the melt infiltration process. The nano-confined 2LiBH 4 -LiAlH 4 composite (denoted as 2LiBH 4 -LiAlH 4 /RFC) shows a two-step dehydrogenation process. The onset dehydrogenation temperatures for the two steps are 100 °C and 280 °C, respectively, which are 70 °C and 170 °C lower than that of the milled 2LiBH 4 -LiAlH 4 mixture. The formation of AlB 2 during the second dehydrogenation step alters the reaction pathway of LiBH 4 . The kinetic properties of the composite are greatly enhanced compared to the physical mixture of LiBH 4 and LiAlH 4 . The nanoconfinement and the formation of AlB 2 have a combined effect on the improvement of hydrogen storage properties for nanoconfined 2LiBH 4 -LiAlH 4 /RFC. It could be rehydrogenated at 350 °C and 5 MPa H 2 . A reversible hydrogen storage capacity of 5.7 wt.% is achieved.