Hydrogen storage and desorption properties of Ni-dispersed carbon nanotubes

We report that the H-2 storage method using Ni-mediated CNTs is a viable candidate for fuel cell applications. It is demonstrated that a single Ni coated on the carbon nanotubes' (CNT) surfaces can store up to 5 H-2. In this respect, at high Ni-coverage, Ni-dispersed single-walled CNTs are considered to be capable of releasing similar to 10 wt. % H-2 at around room temperature. Moreover, the H-2 desorption barrier of 0.26 eV/H-2, corresponding to the desorption temperature of 328 K, is ideal for fuel cell applications. (c) 2006 American Institute of Physics.