Effect of copper phthalocyanine (CuPc) on electrochemical hydrogen storage capacity of BaAl2O4/BaCO3 nanoparticles

A green synthesis method, solution combustion, were performed to synthesize BaAl2O4/BaCO3 nanoparticles by using stoichiometric amount of cations, Ba2+ and Al3+, in rational fraction of a fuel (maltose). Single fuel led to the formation of combustion reaction required further annealing at 700 degrees C in order to achieve pure crystals. The average crystallite sizes of the BaAl2O4/BaCO3 nanopowders were obtained about 36 nm using modified Scherrer equation. In order to improve the electrochemical hydrogen storage capacity of BaAl2O4/BaCO3 nanoparticles, a novel admixture was designed by introducing copper phthalocyanine (CuPc) into an inorganic phase. The reaction profiles of BaAl2O4/BaCO3-CuPc nano composites were confirmed by FTIR analysis. The structural and elemental analysis were confirmed the formation of nanocomposites. Morphological analysis confirmed the nanoscale formation of the host material. In addition, TEM results clearly confirmed the morphology of BaAl2O4/BaCO3 sample and its nanocomposites. The Band gap energy was calculated for host, CuPc and its respective nanocomposites using Tauc method obtained at 4.95, 2.10 and 2.54/4.89 eV, respectively. Electrochemical performances of the materials were confirmed a large I-pa for BaAl2O4/BaCO3-CuPc nanocomposites as compare to the host materials. This was directly reflected in hydrogen storage capacities of the materials (900 mA h/g discharge capacity for BaAl2O4/BaCO3 (similar to 3.17%) and >1500 mA h/g for BaAl2O4/BaCO3-CuPc nanocomposites (similar to 5.3%)). (C) 2017 Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.