Mechanochemistry has played an important role in the synthesis of many novel compounds, in particular within the field of materials for solid state hydrogen storage applications. This work investigates reactive milling of ethane 1,2-di-amineborane (EDAB) and sodium hydride which yields the evolution of one equivalent of hydrogen and the formation of a novel compound (named NaEDAB) as evidenced by X-ray diffraction analyses. We postulate for this compound the chemical formula NaB2C2N2H13. The thermolysis of NaEDAB below 400 °C releases about 8 wt.% pure hydrogen, without producing foaming. Moreover, sodium addition significantly modifies hydrogen desorption enthalpies, giving rise to milder exothermic H2 release at moderate temperatures with respect to neat EDAB, as well as an endothermic desorption process at higher temperature. This result opens novel and promising perspectives towards the reversible hydrogenation of these compounds.

FL wishes to thank Hydro-Eco Research Center at Sapienza University and Regione Lazio for financial support. MJVP thanks for a FPI PhD fellowship BES 2009-019669. We also thank the COST Action MP1103 ‘Nanostructured materials for solid-state hydrogen storage’, Italian Ministry project Industria 2015 and Spanish Ministry projects CTQ2011-25517 and CTQ2011-27935.

Peer Reviewed