Aluminum chloride for accelerating hydrogen generation from sodium borohydride

作者：Demirci U B^*; Akdim O; Miele P

来源：Journal of Power Sources, 2009, 192(2): 310-315.

DOI：10.1016/j.jpowsour.2009.03.015

• Aluminum chloride
• Hydrogen
• Hydrolysis
• Sodium borohydride
• Sodium tetrahydroborate

The present research paper reports preliminary results about the utilization of anhydrous aluminum chloride (AlCl(3)) for accelerating hydrogen generation through hydrolysis of aqueous solution of sodium borohydride (NaBH(4)) at 80 degrees C. To the best of our knowledge, AlCl(3) has never been considered for that reaction although many transition metal salts had already been assessed. AlCl(3) reactivity was compared to those of AlCl(3)center dot 6H(2)O, AlF(3), CoCl(2), RuCl(3) and NiCl(2). With AlCl(3) and a NaBH(4) solution having a gravimetric hydrogen storage capacity (GHSC) of 2.9 wt.%, almost 100% hydrogen was generated in few seconds, i.e., with a hydrogen generation rate (HGR) of 354 Lmin(-1) g(-1)(Al). This HGR is one of the highest rates ever reported. Higher HGRs were obtained by mixing AlCl(3) with CoCl(2), RUCl(3) or NiCl(2). For example, the system RuCl(3):AlCl(3) (50:50 mass proportion) showed a HGR > 1000 Lmin(-1) g(-1)(Ru:Al). The hydrolysis by-products (once dried) were identified (by XRD, IR and elemental analysis) as being Al(OH)(3), NaCl and Na(2)B(OH)(4)Cl and it was observed that even in situ formed Al(OH)(3) has catalytic abilities with HGRs of 5 Lmin(-1) g(-1)(Al). All of these preliminary results are discussed, which concludes that AlCl(3) has a potential as accelerator for single-use NaBH(4)-based storage system.

• 出版日期2009-7-15