Comprehensive Study of Melt Infiltration for the Synthesis of NaAlH4/C Nanocomposites

In the search for suitable solid state hydrogen storage systems, NaAlH4 (7.4 wt % H-2) holds great promise due to its suitable thermodynamical properties. However, hydrogen release and uptake are hampered by high activation energies, most likely due to solid state mass transfer limitations. A recent strategy to improve the hydrogen de- and rehydrogenation properties of NaAlH4 is to reduce the particle size to the nanometer scale. We prepared high loadings of nanosized NaAlH4 confined in the pores of a carbon support by melt infiltration. XRD, nitrogen physisorption, high pressure DSC and solid-state NMR are used to evidence that the molten NaAlH4 infiltrates the carbon support, and forms a nanosized NaAlH4 phase lacking long-range order. The confined NaAlH4 shows enhanced hydrogen dehydrogenation properties and rehydrogenation under mild conditions that is attributed to the nanosize and close contact to the carbon matrix.