Development of air resistant Mg2Ni for hydrogen storage, through surface covering with polyetherimide via solution

• Grant number: 19/20273-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: December 01, 2019
• End date: June 06, 2021
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Materials and Metallurgical Engineering
• Principal Investigator: Daniel Rodrigo Leiva
• Grantee: Ana Rodrigues Cameirão
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências Exatas e de Tecnologia (CCET). Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCAR). São Carlos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Hydrogen is a viable alternative to fossil fuels because it is a cleaner and renewable energy carrier. However, for its large-scale use, it is necessary the development of safe and effective storage and transport systems. Alternative forms of hydrogen storage have been studied in recent years, as in solids through their physical adsorption to the surface of an material or chemical bonds forming compounds. Intermetallic Mg2Ni, for example, is capable of reversibly reacting with hydrogen, thus forming a hydride phase; However, due to its low resistance when in contact with the air, its application is still restrict to environments with inert atmosphere. Therefore, this project has as its main objective the production and characterization of an metal-polymer composite whose hydrogenation kinetic properties with and without an polymer surface covering should be evaluated. Mg2Ni will be produced by high energy ball milling (HEBM) from magnesiun (Mg) and nickel (Ni) powder and will be structurally characterized. The thermal stability and (de)hydrogenation kinetics will be determined. Thereafter, the powder obtained from this alloy will be covered with a polyetherimine (PEI) layer by solution mixing. Finally the prepared composites will be characterized for the same properties upon exposure to air. The properties of the materials with and without the polymer surface covering will be contrasted.